Barcelona is one of the European cities with the greatest presence of motorcycles on its streets. There are currently some 350,000 motorcycles registered in the Catalan capital, a more than considerable figure for the voice of this group to be heard and taken into account and for the mayoral candidates to explain what their proposals are in relation to the role of this vehicle in urban and metropolitan mobility, if they have them. That is the purpose of the Motoristas por Barcelona association, which has summoned the heads of the list of the formations with municipal representation.
The success of this unique call (there is no record of a pre-election meeting being organized in any major European city to address this very specific issue) is assured. To date, Motorists for Barcelona, an entity chaired by Gregori Hidalgo and whose spokesperson is Jaime Alguersuari, legendary ex-driver, editor and promoter of events linked to the motor world, has already received confirmation of five candidates. It is about the socialist Jaume Collboni; the representative of Junts and former mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias; and of the numbers one of Ciutadans (Anna Grau), the PP (Daniel Sirera) and Valents (Eva Parera).
The organizers are waiting to know the response to their invitation by the mayoress and head of the list of BComú, Ada Colau, and the republican Ernest Maragall to complete the poster of an event that will be held in the Eixample Teatre (Aragó, 140) next April 12 at 4:30 p.m.
The event is scheduled for the prior intervention of a dozen men and women representative of motorcycle users in Barcelona who will briefly present their personal experience. Subsequently, the candidates will explain their proposals regarding an essential aspect of urban mobility that, too often, has not been taken into account in the political debate and that has been relegated to the minimum expression in the electoral programs of the different formations. .
The promoters of this initiative are fully convinced that motorcyclists, due to the large number of Barcelona users of this vehicle in the city, will play a determining role in the outcome of the elections. The convening association has carried out some polls among its members that indicate a very high percentage of motorcycle users would be willing to change the direction of their vote based on the proposals and the commitment that the heads of are willing to assume.
Motoristas por Barcelona constitutes a protest movement, but it starts from a premise that, in his opinion, must govern mobility in the city: order and the defense of pedestrians.
In the act on April 12, which will be called Barcelona, the city of motorcycles, the mayors will not be asked predetermined questions, but rather the participants will be asked to be the ones who share their vision of the role that must be play in the mobility of the city and the corresponding solutions. Certainly, aspects such as road safety and parking –increasingly complicated– will be dealt with in this session, which will be attended by between 150 and 200 motorcyclists.
