Nearly a thousand reports in the first week of the coexistence by-law being applied
Since the new coexistence by-law came into force on 15 February, the City Police have rolled out a comprehensive operation combining uniformed and plain-clothes patrols to intervene at points with the most recurrent incidents.
During the first week of application, up until 22 February, a total of 982 reports were made. By type, they were:
- Consumption of alcohol in public space: 357 reports (36%)
- Physiological needs in public space: 199 (20%)
- Unauthorised vending: 307 (31%), of which 226 are for abandoning goods
- Visual degradation of the urban environment: 64 (7%)
- Improper use of public space: 45 (5%)
Thes figures highlight the priorities of the new by-law, particularly when it comes to noise, the consumption of alcohol, urinating and degrading public space.
The figures were given today in the first meeting by the Monitoring Group for the Coexistence By-Law, chaired by the Commissioner Montserrat Surroca. The purpose of the body, made up of all municipal groups, is the ongoing monitoring of the implementation of the new text.
The end goal is to ensure that the by-law becomes an effective tool for improving everyday coexistence and guaranteeing everybody’s right to enjoy safer, more respectful and orderly public space.
To achieve this, the text includes:
- An update to the amounts of fines and aggravating factors, particularly in cases severely affecting local people’s rest and coexistence.
- Mechanisms for making payments more agile for non-residents who are fined.
- Strengthening education and prevention, with information staff in the streets and specific campaigns.
- Alternative measures to fines in cases of vulnerability.
