Recently there has been a debate amongst Barcelona’s government concerning the metro and its usage at night, as well as the controversy regarding the bus/taxi lane and its availability to bicycles/motos. The article explains that the metro will remain open at night despite the circling rumors about cuts to service due to inefficient funds. Moreover, the municipal government has, “ruled definitely on this measure,” that, “Motorcycles and mopeds cannot continue to use the bus lane; this is debatable because it was a campaign promise. The principal argument here is that the bus lane has been deemed unsafe in response to many reports from London regarding the increase of the number of accidents and injuries.
On Wednesday the City pledged to develop a new plan that would, “force local security from next year until 2015.” The consequence of this will be, “more police presence on the street and the addition of more agents.”
I agree with the government’s idea to forbid motos in the bus lane because it will increase the general safety of Barcelona and will financially benefit the city (I am assuming a number of lawsuits come in to play here). Although it will most likely upset many people in the city, they will ultimately be safer and Barcelona will conclusively benefit. With regards to the City’s pledge to add more police and agents on to the streets, I am not in concurrence. This seems almost like the beginning of Orwell’s novel 1984, as it mimics a Big Brother scenario. More police and agents means much more governmental control and this is slightly alarming to me because it reminds me of life under Franco. Catalonia has been trying, and needs to continue to reinvent itself and gain an identity again, as well as life without repression, censorship, and sovereign power.
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