Barcelona bus route deletion tackles tourist overcrowding

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

In Barcelona’s La Salut neighborhood, a unique development has occurred that distinguishes it from typical tourist destinations eager to draw visitors. The residents are applauding their recent success in essentially disappearing from popular navigation platforms such as Google and Apple Maps, specifically in relation to the bus route they commonly use.

For many years, the locals have faced significant inconveniences due to the number 116 bus being overcrowded with tourists heading to Antoni Gaudí’s Park Güell, which ranks as the city’s second most frequented tourist spot after the Sagrada Familia. The high volume of visitors made it difficult for residents, including the elderly and those with mobility issues, to access the bus, with Luz López, a 75-year-old resident, recounting to eldiario.es how challenging it was for even those with walking aids to board the bus previously.

In a move to alleviate this issue, the city council has managed to have the 116 bus route removed from major online mapping services. Albert Battle, responsible for security and coexistence on the city council, explained that the decision was part of a broader initiative to improve mobility around Park Güell and involved eliminating online references to the bus route.

While Battle refrained from confirming whether the council had directly requested the removal of the route from maps, a spokesperson from Google clarified that they would not remove a bus route without a formal request from the city council. Amidst these changes, a local activist, César Sánchez, who has been at the forefront of advocating for solutions to the congestion caused by the 116 bus for eight years, humorously suggested that the next step might be to remove Park Güell entirely from Google Maps. He, along with other residents, expressed initial skepticism about the effectiveness of such measures but were ultimately surprised and pleased with the outcome.

This scenario raises interesting questions about the impact on the travel and tourism sectors. While such actions might enhance the quality of life for residents, they could also influence tourists’ access to and experience of major attractions. By reducing the visibility of transit routes to popular sites, cities might manage local congestion better, but they also risk diminishing the accessibility and appeal that draw tourists in the first place.

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