Imatge
Imatge
The Barcelona City Council will approve a new special urban development plan which will allow car parks to incorporate areas for logistics and the provision of services
The measure will help to optimise urban goods distribution, while also freeing up public space
This consolidates the pilot tests of this type of activity promoted by Barcelona Municipal Services (BSM) in its network of car parks
Barcelona City Council has started processing the ‘Special Urban Plan for New Activities in Barcelona City Car Parks’. This new regulation aims to ensure that short-stay car parks can house other activities in addition to vehicle parking.
The text primarily provides for car parks to be used for activities such as loading and unloading, the delivery of goods and activities related to the collection of small packages. This includes micro-distribution points where lorries and vans can unload packages, which are later delivered by more sustainable vehicles, along with delivery lockers from where online purchases can be collected.
Barcelona is thus consolidating the pilot tests of these types of activities promoted by Barcelona Municipal Services (BSM) in its network of car parks. By doing so, it is regulating and promoting services such as the almost 50 Click&Collect points, the eight goods micro-distribution centres and Barcelona Markets’ four refrigerated delivery lockers which can now be found in different BSM car parks.
The extension of these types of initiatives will lead to a lower occupancy of public thoroughfares, given that many packages can be delivered to a single point. It also ensures greater efficiency by lowering the number of kilometres that distributors have to travel, which reduces pollution and noise. Furthermore, it does away with empty vehicle returns, because the packages are left where consumers will collect them, and if they don’t they can more easily be returned using the carrier's regular route.
Concentrating the distribution of goods in car parks also allows for deliveries at off-peak times or at night, reducing both any nuisance caused to residents and road congestion.
The text also regulates other services already operating in the car parks, such as electric vehicle charging, battery swapping stations and the installation of ATMs and vending machines.
After its initial approval, the new regulation will begin the process towards definitive approval with a period of public information and the corresponding citizen participation process.
