Bicycles are no longer attracting new users in Barcelona.
The RACC notes a 6% reduction in usage in one year and advocates for stopping the expansion of the current network of bike lanes.
BarcelonaBicycles are no longer attracting new users. According to a study by the RACC (National Commission for the Promotion of Bicycles) released this Tuesday, the number of cyclists in Barcelona and its access points to the metropolitan area has decreased by 6% in one year, representing a "stagnation" in the expansion of this form of sustainable mobility in the Catalan capital, despite measures to encourage it. The study concludes that although bicycles occupy 16% of road space in Barcelona, only 7% of the population uses them. The case of the Via Augusta bike lane is especially significant: 21% of the space is designated for bicycles, but only 1.5% of users ride on it.
The Barcelona cycling mobility barometer is based on more than 40,000 counts of traffic in fourteen representative bike lanes in the city and their access points on weekdays, as well as on surveys conducted with 800 cyclists, 3,000 speed checks, and accident data.
According to the RACC study, 74% of cyclists are between eighteen and forty years old, and 87% use sustainable modes of transport, such as public transport (64%) or walking (18%). Cycling remains unattractive to car and motorcycle drivers, as only 4% of cyclists report having previously used these vehicles. RACC President Josep Mateu pointed out that there is a lack of "proportionality" between the space allocated to bicycles and their actual use and argued that it would be more efficient to invest in bus lanes than in new bicycle lanes. "This measure would benefit a higher percentage of citizens, since public transport is used by a large part of the population, and improving these lanes would have a broader impact," he stated.
Regarding road safety, the study suggests that 61% of cyclists obey the speed limit, but this percentage drops to 25% in areas with a 10 km/h limit. One of the least compliant groups is food delivery drivers: 56% admit to exceeding these limits. Given this response, the RACC advocates offering "free road safety training" to private and professional cyclists.
In 2024, 659 bicycle accidents were recorded in the city, with two fatalities and 678 injuries, although the accident rate has decreased by 13.4% compared to the previous year. The director of the RACC's Mobility Area, Christian Bardají, explained that 16 percent of those surveyed acknowledged having been involved in an accident during 2025. He also noted that, although the serious accident rate is low, collisions with other drivers in bike lanes are on the rise. Specifically, 42% of the accidents occurred between users of these spaces.
Increased use of the lane toward Santa Coloma
Despite the difficulties, 54% of Barcelona cyclists consider the current infrastructure to be sufficient. However, 13% state that they are unable to complete their entire journey within the cycle network. The most used bike lane is the one along Diagonal towards the mountains, with 337 cyclists per day, and the one that has grown the most is the one that connects with Santa Coloma de Gramenet, with a 37% increase in users.
Among the recommendations included in the document, the RACC proposes improving the continuity and connectivity of bike lanes, maintaining the infrastructure in good condition, redesigning critical points where there is a risk of accidents, expanding secure parking—especially at intermodal and commercial points—and strengthening security against theft. It also suggests promoting road safety education with school and urban campaigns and specific programs for cyclists and personal mobility vehicle (PMV) users.
