Lydia Spencer-Elliott
BARCELONA has a new 10-year plan to build more green spaces for its residents.
In a bid to cut down the population and deplete the number of cars, one in three Eixample district streets will now become green zones.
Engineered by Ildefons Cerdà, the project will introduce 21 public squares in the area that privilege access for pedestrians and cyclists.
Due to cost €37.8m, the scheme will not ban cars entirely but will make access for vehicles more difficult.
Barcelona residents own the highest number of cars in the EU: currently there are 6,000 cars per square km.
Worryingly, for the last decade, Spain has failed to comply with EU air quality regulations.
In 2019, Barcelona was listed as the European city that receives the most pollution from large cruise ships by NGO.
Previous studies conducted by scientists in Barcelona have shown that poor air quality can impact children’s success in school.
According to research, children who study in highly polluted areas see slower improvements in their memory.
