Congratulations! NGO activities in Bilbao/Spain crowned with success

on Oct 8, 2013

Bilbao’s town council has approved the motion proposed by Ekologistak Martxan and the urban cyclist association, “Biziz-Bizi”, by which the speed is limited to 30-km/h in the town residential areas, and to 50 km/h in the rest of the lanes.
Last May, Ekologistak Martxan and the urban cyclists association, Biziz-Bizi, joined the European Citizens´ Initiative proposing a legislation on reducing the maximum traffic speed in urban areas to 30 km/h. The campaign to extend this instrument to a European level has borne fruit in Bilbao, a beautifl town in the Basque country, since all the Town Council is urging the local Government Board to adopt the required measures (signalling, traffic lights) so as to make sure that the 30 km/h are not exceeded in residential areas (i.e., vertically and horizontally indicating a series of streets which provide continuity to Bilbao’s cycle lanes), and to keep implementing measures to support the cyclist and pedestrian mobility.
Ths activists say that to establish a 30-km/h speed limit is an economical way of increasing safety, by decreasing the amount of accident victims and the injuries seriousness; this measure also contributes to reducing contamination and CO2 emissions, and to improving air quality. Therefore, limiting the speed to 30 km/h shall lead to improving the traffic, and to relieve traffic jam by stimulating the use of public transport and bycicles. Pedestrians and cyclists shall be able to move more safely.
We are excited that Ekologistak Martxan and the urban cyclists association, Biziz bizi, achieved such a great success. Congratulations to you all! And keep on with your fair mobility actions! As activists of the Spanish ECI organisations say, this is a fairer share of burdens for all – and a great benefit for the vulnerable road users who really deserve more support.

Author: Ecologostas en Accion

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