Special measure
A special measure has been established which will apply to all the city’s districts, to ensure safety, mobility, positive community life and civic behaviour in Barcelona, focusing in particular on traffic violations that may affect the safety of pedestrians.
When
From 4 December to 9 January
Christmas is around the corner again and the Guàrdia Urbana (GUB - city police) will be deploying special measures from 4 December to 9 January to guarantee public safety, community harmony and civic behaviour in the city. What’s more, there will be 15% more police officers on the beat on public roads and squares and extra contact with retailers.
The Guàrdia Urbana take special measures every year to ensure everyday life runs smoothly during the Christmas festivities. The aims are to:
- Improve road safety
- Keep traffic moving, especially along the main roads and in the vicinity of shopping hubs and tourist areas
- Control irregular activities on the public highway
- Monitor noise pollution
- Step up prevention and public safety, in coordination with the Policia Nacional and Mossos d’Esquadra (Spanish and Catalan police, respectively)
- Control and rectify offences affecting the peace and quiet of city residents, especially with regard to civic behaviour and community life
The area of operation will extend to all the city's districts but place special emphasis on the city centre and Barcelona's various shopping hubs.
Public safety and community life
As part of this operation, the Guàrdia Urbana and Mossos d’Esquadra will prioritise prevention and safety aspects by deploying foot patrols, especially in tourist areas, each neighbourhood’s shopping hubs and in every area where traditional fairs (Santa Llúcia, Sagrada Família, Gran Via, Port, etc.) are held.
City police officers will also take action to control and rectify antisocial behaviour that may interfere with the normal use of public spaces and community life. To that end they will focus particularly on controlling any noise pollution that may cause repeated nuisance to local residents and other users.
Inspections will be carried out in leisure and entertainment venues which will be fined for any violations of permitted numbers, noise levels and closing times, especially during the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
That means specific measures will be adopted for specific events held in the city, not just on New Year's Eve but also for the Three Kings Fair on Gran Via and the Three Kings Parade.
Unauthorised parties and large gatherings will be monitored on social media so police can identify and respond to them should they take place, whether outdoors in public areas or indoors in leisure venues and people’s homes. Collective control of alcohol consumption in public places will be a priority in these cases.
Local policing by Neighbourhood Police teams, thanks to strengthened relations with local resident representatives and retailers, will also help to spot and prevent antisocial behaviour or public disorder that may arise.
Accident prevention
Throughout this period, the police will be breathalysing drivers, checking documents and testing for drugs as well as stepping up efforts to prevent any traffic offences throughout the city (especially at points with higher accident rates).
Special attention will also be given to controlling any offences that may affect pedestrian safety (failure to respect pedestrian paths or obey traffic signals, riding on pavements, etc.) as well as improper parking on pavements which may interfere with mobility.
Finally, police officers will be keeping a close eye on personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) and bicycles, not just to ensure they are being used and ridden properly but also that other types of motor vehicles respect them.
For getting round the city during this period, we recommend you use public transport . For further information, see the special public transport measures
CloseSpecial measure
A special measure has been established which will apply to all the city’s districts, to ensure safety, mobility, positive community life and civic behaviour in Barcelona, focusing in particular on traffic violations that may affect the safety of pedestrians.
When
From 4 December to 9 January