Miguel Ángel Medina, El País :
Greenhouse gas emissions have fallen in the center of Madrid after City Hall launched a pioneering program on November 30, 2018 to curb air pollution and increase the space given to pedestrians. […] According to a study conducted to measure the environmental impact of Madrid Central, emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx), a polluting gas released by vehicles, fell by 38% in Madrid’s center the first month the program was implemented, while carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions dropped by 14.2%.
David Roberts, Vox :
Salvador Rueda is gripped by a vision for Barcelona. […] The plan, which contains not only superblocks but comprehensive programs for green space, bicycle and bus networks, and much more, will not eliminate cars in the city, or deny one to anyone who needs one. But it will radically reduce their prevalence, the amount of space they occupy, and demand for their services. If it is fully implemented (a task that could take multiple administrations, even multiple generations), it could make Barcelona the first plausibly “post-car” major city in the world — a place where most streets are not for cars and most people don’t have one.
Les Espagnols comptent bien bouter la voiture hors de leurs villes — après tout, ils ont une expérience de la reconquête. Dès 1999, Pontevedra a inversé le rapport de force entre les piétons et les automobilistes, favorisant les modes doux sans bannir la voiture. Son plan piétonnier « Metrominuto » a fait des émules dans le monde entier. Plus récemment, Séville a investi le cout de trois kilomètres de tramway pour développer son réseau de pistes cyclables, qui s’étend désormais sur cent-soixante-dix kilomètres. Son modèle de transformation urbaine inspire de nombreuses métropoles européennes. Comme quoi, quand on veut…