First transport measures show effect: The air is better. Parking management and Parking ticket to flush money into the coffers of the city. However, retailers and commuters to complain. Madrid, Stefanie Müller.
It is “roja” (red) – the conservative Opposition insulted by Madrid like Manuela Carmena. In 2015, the Madrid had chosen the former judge and candidate of the populist left-wing party Podemos to the mayor. Their Slogan was: “Madrid will again belong to its inhabitants”.
Carmena is not all that glamorous. She wastes no time with Interviews or receptions. But the culture was from the beginning is important. You made up for sponsorship and Fundraising in the culture. With success: in addition to renowned museums there are in Madrid for your office, almost daily Free concerts and art events.
In addition, you want to liberate the inhabitants, now rapidly exhaust emissions and noise. Since the end of November an environmental zone named “Madrid Central” came into force. That means that in the 472-hectare area, cars are allowed to drive only to a very limited extent, and Parking. Free travel, there are actually only a number of completely emission-free vehicles, such as electric or gas powered cars. Exceptions are made only for residents, the disabled and emergency vehicles.
In addition, additional trees and plants stick to eating oxides””. With this project, the 74-year-old Carmena wants to win the municipal elections in the coming year.
Madrid’s mayor Manuela Carmena is completely changing the traffic in the Spanish capital
Madrid suffers from high air pollution
What many perceive as a radical, is only the continuation of a previously initiated policy of their predecessors, and the consistent response to the pressure from Brussels. Madrid is among Europe’s cities with the highest air pollution on place seven.
Many Spaniards swung so far, not so much on a bike and went practically never long distances on foot. But in the last two years has changed a lot in Madrid: There are now bike paths. Buses and Taxis were converted so that they emit less exhaust fumes. Without environmental badge cars not allowed to drive in the city centre. Those who are not local residents, or a certificate of exemption has been allowed to Park in the area “Madrid Central” only in the car Park.
And it goes further: in Order to promote the electric mobility in the coming year, 20 new power tank produced with 100 percent renewable electricity.
Madrid is a Smog-filled city
More money through environmental measures
The measures set by the mayor Carmena, not only improve the air quality, you can also flush money into the coffers of the city, because Parking is expensive. In addition, Madrid has developed a test area in terms of “Sharing Economy”. This applies of course in particular the mobility: providers such as Drivy, emove, e-taxis, e-Scooters and Ride-sharing Taxis are booming.
Madrid was at the same time for the young and Creative is always more attractive. The capital was to the Start-up metropolis.
Direct investment in Madrid rose in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the previous year to a total of 82 percent to 4.5 billion euros. Thus, 77 percent of all direct investment in Spain was attributable to the metropolis. The city, ruled by a “roja”, in addition, all tourist records. In the first half of 2018, five million visitors came, nearly five percent more than in the same period last year.
Not everyone will like it
Most of the residents are enthusiastic about the changes. “The city is in any case more attractive,” says the 50year-old Sonia Pérez, the moves already for years with a bike or Scooter to get around Madrid.
But there are also Dissatisfied. Especially the retailers and the around two million commuters has angered Carmena with the project “Madrid Central”. Thus, the previously crowded main shopping street, this year has been blocked for several months by the tags. This has led to a loss of revenue, complained that the retail Lobby of the “Asociación de Comerciantes de las Calles Preciados, Carmen, Arenal y Adyacentes (Apreca)”
“The preliminary information is not arrived early enough and were confused, so many people from other cities came on the first weekend of advent,” says the electrical engineer, Fernando Rodríguez.
The problem is that shops can only be shipped to certain hours, and the garbage disposal does not work any more, two Times a day like in some neighborhoods, but only once. “The air is perhaps a long-term cleaner, but there are everywhere and more waste,” complained Rodriguez.
Long as the normal image: traffic on the Gran was the Via
In Detail, it hooks, but still
“It’s a little crazy, as the bike paths are organized in Madrid,” complained, for example, Gonzalo Puig, Manuela Carmena is well-disposed, “but some of the measures were not properly planned,” says the pharmacist. The bike path is in most Places between the Taxi and auto track: “This is very dangerous,” says Puig.
And many of the affected motorists feel deducted. On one day alone in December, 1450 tickets have been awarded. The day was prohibition in addition to the restricted driving in the city is also the city highway for cars without an environmental sticker are locked and the speed limit to 70 kilometres an hour.
In a Vorbezirk of Madrid-based German artist Carolina Beyer complained, they had often regulated in galleries, and so far, as vehicles for Loading and Unloading Parking. “With my huge images, it will travel a bit difficult on the Metro,” says Beyer. “It is the elaboration of the Details is missing.”
Good things take time
Demonstrations or large public protests, it was in spite of all the complaints so far in Madrid. “We need to have patience and, hopefully, the things that don’t work now to be regulated quickly,” says Erika Pérez, who runs a tourist office in the city. Carmena had an open ear for all. Also for your office, there are – as in the galleries – no clear call-out arrangements.
Despite the many complaints, is already a clear winner of the “Madrid Central”: the public means of transport. Over three million people alone have used on the first advent weekend buses, seven percent more than last year. And also the public Bicycle rental is since 30. November had increased by 20 percent.
The Madrid mayor (right) is happy about alternative means of transport in the city centre