Barcelona Metropolis

Assessment based on various parameters, including surroundings, access, interior routes, signage, furniture, communication systems, sanitary facilities, and more.

Parts of the road network in ten neighbourhoods across the districts of Sarrià - Sant Gervasi, Gràcia, Horta-Guinardó and Nou Barris feature significant changes in elevation. Slopes and steps can become insurmountable obstacles for pedestrians in these hilly neighbourhoods. Vertical transport systems in public spaces, such as escalators (with over 22 million uses annually) and lifts (7 million uses), are highly valued. Barcelona City Council plans to install four additional escalators and one lift this year. Another key and innovative accessibility initiative is the removal of poles supporting overhead power lines. This action is part of the Pla Endreça [Public Space Improvement Scheme], which will invest €10.5 million between 2024 and 2027 across 56 locations to bury power lines and clear pavements of obstacles.

More and more leisure spaces are considering the needs of people with disabilities. Around twenty parks, including Park Güell, offer adapted routes, and all beaches within the municipal area are equipped for outdoor recreational and sports activities, accessible to everyone regardless of ability.

Removing barriers in metropolitan public transport has been a major undertaking, one that is still ongoing. With lifts installed at most stations (only a few are yet to be upgraded) and ramps fitted on buses, the next challenge is to enhance communicative and cognitive accessibility, in line with the 2023 Catalonia Accessibility Code.

Two-thirds of the more than 830,000 registered homes in Barcelona have a communal lift. However, a closer look at different districts reveals stark inequalities. Whether a wheelchair can access a building depends not only on the presence of a lift but also on factors such as lift size, door width, button height, manoeuvring space in lobbies and landings, and the presence of steps before or after the lift. Consequently, the proportion of non-accessible homes exceeds 60% across the city and rises above 80% in Ciutat Vella, Gràcia and Horta-Guinardó. The Barcelona Housing Consortium’s grant programme aims to address this imbalance.