New funding and actions to improve urban mobility in Spain

The Ministry of Transport in Spain recently announced the provisional distribution of the first €1 billion from the European Recovery Plan destined to improve urban mobility. This will reach 170 Spanish municipalities who will invest in 650 electric buses, 500 kilometres of new urban bike lanes, and 62 new low-emission zones. In addition, a second amount of funds, another €500 million, is scheduled for before the summer.

According to data published by the Ministry, 40% of the budget will be dedicated to promote active mobility. Thus, more than €100 million is allocated to increasing cycling in 78 municipalities. In addition, the implementation of bike and micro-mobility sharing systems will be financed with almost €49 million. There will also be €243 million to finance 149 actions to widen sidewalks, create new pedestrian itineraries and improve accessibility for walkers. 20% of the funds (around €200 million) will be invested in promoting zero-emission fleets and installing electric charging points in 44 locations.

Among the most innovative of calls is the 11% of the budget (just over €100 million) going to promote 62 projects for the implementation of low emission zones (LEZ) in as many localities, as well as another 30 complementary actions for the implementation or reinforcement of existing ones. Currently there are only two ZBEs in Spain, in Madrid and Barcelona, ​​but the Climate Change Law obliges the 149 localities with more than 50,000 inhabitants —and those with more than 20,000 more polluted— to create one of these areas before 2023.

The province of Malaga has its projects approved for 7 of its municipalities and will receive more than €21 million to improve sustainable mobility. In specific, those projects are:

• Malaga will complete the implementation of the LEZ (€3.7 million), will renovate its public transport fleet with electric buses (€2 million), will build a dedicated lane of public transport to connect the city centre with the university campus (€1.18 million) and will build new cycle lanes the integrate with its cycling network (€1.18 million). The development and commissioning of a digital information system for public transport users, the deployment of a network for monitoring and control of air quality and noise levels will also be financed;
• In Nerja, the funds will be allocated to the implementation of bicycle lanes (€500,000);
• In Benalmadena, fund will go to actions on roads for traffic calming (€1.3 million), to the implementation of priority lanes for public transport (€1 million) and lanes dedicated to cycling and micro-mobility (€570,000);
• Estepona will invest in the implementation of climate change mitigation measures (€1 million) and will renovate its public transport fleet with electric buses (€500,000);
• Vélez-Malaga will invest on infrastructure and facilities for the Phase 1 of the implementation of a new tram line (€3.6 million);
• In Torremolinos, the plan is to implement low emission zones (€1.1 million) as well as create safe pedestrian routes to school (€460,000);
• In Fuengirola the funds will be used for the citizen's card for intelligent mobility (€426,000).