The Garage Association of Barcelona and Province also regrets the recent warning by Mayor Jaume Collboni's government to restrict access to the center by private vehicle in case of traffic jams during these Christmas holidays.
"We understand that in an exceptional moment the City Council is forced to restrict access to the center - says Xavier Ferrer, president of the union - but we do not think it is appropriate for it to give these alarmist messages. The people of Barcelona have already changed their habits. Most get to the center by public transport, but visitors from the metropolitan area need a private vehicle. With these messages, we only get them to do their shopping in another city. Barcelona has the necessary infrastructure to handle this traffic. The problems of two weeks ago mainly respond to the coincidence of several demonstrations".
The Garage Association of Barcelona and Province groups 594 public and private car parks with 119,635 spaces, most of which are in the city.
The controversy was triggered on Monday, when at the presentation of the municipal mobility and security plan for the festivities, the deputy mayor Albert Batlle warned that access to the center by private vehicle could be restricted in case of traffic jams. The next day, Barcelona Oberta, the entity that brings together the main commercial areas of the city, wrote to deputy mayor Batlle to let him know its deep discomfort. "Barcelona has a sufficient network of car parks to be able to accommodate shoppers from the metropolitan area who want to access it by car to load their purchases with comfort - says the missive-. We understand the convenience of using public transport by residents, but this announcement generates unnecessary alarm and is counterproductive to the most anticipated commercial campaign of the year."
The Garage Association will write to the mayor Collboni and the deputy mayor Batlle - and also to Laia Bonet, the deputy mayor of Urbanism - this Monday.
