Reduced speed limit in Barcelona leads to less pollution – or not

A claim that the imposition of an 80 km/h speed limit in Barcelona has resulted in a 4% reduction in pollution has been called into doubt after it transpires that rising fuel costs have seen the number of cars on the road reduced by as much as 7%, according to Ramon Espadaler of Convergencia i Unio.

With the head of transport for Barcelona once suggesting that lanes be made narrower to make speeding more dangerous and therefore force drivers to slow down(!!); and with roundabouts, traffic lights and pedestrian crossing placed seemingly at random, it is clear that Barcelona city council doesn’t understand traffic management at all.

The speed limited has been enforced since the beginning of the year and was introduced with the aim of reducing the number of deaths each year due to cardio-respiratory illnesses caused by pollution from suspended particle emissions by 1,200, as well as reducing accident rates.

Some of the roads were never suitable for higher speeds anyway and the reduction in speed is a huge relief for anyone driving on the rondas in or out of Barcelona – the roads camber awkwardly in places, curve too tightly and the lanes are too narrow.