Pontevedra has adopted walking, the most natural form of transportation, as the best formula to solve its persistent mobility problems. Today, the city of Pontevedra is universally accessible, almost barrier free, economically dynamic, ideal for shopping, leisure, hospitality and tourism, not to forget public administration, the launching pad of urban development.
Metrominuto, better on foot
Metrominuto is only one of several city mobility maps that provide residents and visitors with quick facts, such as diagrams of the intercity transport network, free and paid parking, and practical information concerning buses and trains.
Metrominuto shows 30 points of interest in the city and establishes the time and distance relationships between them. It also signposts parking spaces, public transport stations, parks –such as that alongside river Gafos– and the footpaths that start in the capital.
Metrominuto is being disseminated by the Network of Cities that Walk, an organization of Spanish and Portuguese local authorities dedicated to the promotion of natural mobility, and the European Intermodes association. Several smartphone apps are currently under development.
Car free
The city has dramatically reduced the abusive presence of motorized vehicles, which had come to dominate the Historic Center, where more than 500 cars were parked for days on end, as well as the outer rings. The establishment of car free areas and the enforcement of new mobility priorities have boosted the local economy, particularly the services sector. The new mobility scheme has fostered the harmonious coexistence between pedestrians, cyclists and drivers throughout the city, placing open public spaces at the center of policy making.
