The Barcelona Provincial Council (BPC) provides technical, economic, and technological support to the 311 municipalities in the province. This support is offered more intensively to rural areas and small municipalities that often lack sufficient resources to deliver quality public services.
In the field of mobility planning, around 150 municipalities have developed a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) with the support of the BPC. The BPC also collaborates in conducting specific mobility studies on accessibility, cycling plans, public transport, logistics, and more.
Regarding financial aid, since 2018 the BPC has provided financial support for the implementation of measures outlined in SUMPs. This is a co-financing scheme that covers up to 50% of the cost of a measure, with a maximum limit of €50,000 per project and an annual budget of €1 million.
Furthermore, recognizing that the skills and expertise of technical staff in each municipality are key factors in the quality and efficiency of the process, the BPC program offers regular capacity-building activities, training sessions, and exchange seminars. This year marks the 16th edition, with a total of 350 attendees.
Finally, the BPC also manages and improves the local road network, which is the essential infrastructure connecting the rural areas of the province. Often, the measures implemented to enhance these networks involve the creation of new pedestrian paths and the addition of bicycle lanes.
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In the province of Barcelona, three main types of tourism can be identified. First, there is tourism focused on the city of Barcelona, both nationally and internationally. Second, there is beach tourism, which peaks during the summer season and attracts visitors from local, national, and international origins. Finally, there is tourism linked to rural areas, primarily from residents of the metropolitan area of Barcelona, with a concentration on weekends.
This last type of tourism has become an important source of income for some rural municipalities. However, it can also cause a range of problems during periods of high visitor influx, leading to mobility issues and potentially posing a threat to the environment.
As a result, there is often a need to implement actions that improve and manage mobility services, aiming for more sustainable tourism in rural areas.
In the province of Barcelona, there are many natural parks, some of which are located less than fifty kilometers from the metropolitan area. To reduce car trips and promote public transport to access these natural parks during peak periods, the BPC has implemented bus services that connect train stations to the parks. The bus connections began successfully in 2018 with two routes and have been expanded to seven by 2024, providing easy access to several natural parks.
The service also offers the option to purchase a single ticket that covers both the train journey and the bus connection to the parks.
Sant Miquel del Fai is a Benedictine monastery located in a beautiful natural setting that attracts many visitors.
The monastery can be accessed by car via a narrow road, and there is a parking lot with a very limited number of spaces. To prevent road congestion and inadequate parking, the BPC has implemented a parking reservation system to control the optimal number of vehicles accessing the site.
Additionally, a bus service provides access to the monastery when the parking lot is full. Alternatively, visitors can reach the monastery on foot by covering a distance of 2.2 kilometers.
Barcelona Provincial Council
https://www.diba.cat/
Barcelona Provincial Council – Road infrastructure and mobility management
https://www.diba.cat/es/web/carreteres-locals-i-mobilitat
Barcelona Provincial Council – Natural Parks
https://parcs.diba.cat/
Bus al Parc (Bus to the Park):
https://parcs.diba.cat/busparc
Parking and access regulations at Sant Miquel del Fai:
https://parcs.diba.cat/web/cinglesberti