The Socialist Group of Pozuelo de Alarcón claims that the arrival of Bicimad in the municipality was their initiative and demands new investments in bike lanes to connect neighbourhoods, schools, and universities.
The PSOE of Pozuelo de Alarcón has put forward a clear demand: that the arrival of Bicimad in the municipality should not just be an announcement, but should be accompanied by a network of bike lanes that connects all the key points of the city. The party, which promoted the proposal in the Plenary two years ago, believes that this service represents a turning point for local mobility.
A long-standing demand
The socialist spokesperson, Helio Cobaleda, has reminded that Pozuelo's integration into the public network of electric bicycles is not a coincidence, but the result of a motion presented by their group and approved by the municipal Plenary in 2024. “BiciMad in Pozuelo is a joy because it makes our city part of a very useful and convenient system, which allows for fewer cars, less pollution, less noise, and fewer traffic jams,” Cobaleda stated.
This Tuesday, Pozuelo became the first municipality in the Community of Madrid to join Bicimad, an event attended by the mayors of Madrid and Pozuelo, José Luis Martínez-Almeida and Paloma Tejero. The service, which is now operational, allows residents to travel both within the municipality and connect with the capital through a single network of shared bicycles.
The pending issue: bike lanes
Beyond the launch of the system, the PSOE has focused on what it considers a structural deficiency: the lack of safe infrastructure for cycling. “It is impossible to move between urban centres, sports complexes, or universities by bicycle on safe routes,” Cobaleda denounced.
The party demands the creation of new bike lanes that connect the different neighbourhoods of Pozuelo, as well as schools, sports facilities, and universities. It also calls for improvements in cycling connections with Madrid to eliminate the barriers that still exist in some access points, such as roundabouts or high-capacity roads without bike lanes.
The PSOE has urged the municipal government team to ensure the necessary resources for the proper functioning of the system, both in personnel and material means. Among its proposals is to ensure a proper replenishment of bicycles at the stations to maintain high availability and provide an efficient service to users.
A model for the region
The socialists hope that Pozuelo's experience will serve as a reference for other municipalities in the area to join the Bicimad network in the future, promoting greater integration of cycling mobility in the region. “We want Pozuelo to be the example that sustainable and connected mobility is possible,” Cobaleda affirmed.
For now, residents can already use the electric bicycles from Bicimad at the stations installed in the municipality. To do this, they only need the mobile application and a transport card. The Pozuelo City Council has announced that it will study the PSOE's requests, although it has not set specific deadlines for the expansion of bike lanes.
In the meantime, the socialists will remain vigilant to ensure that the service does not become a white elephant and meets its goal of reducing traffic and pollution in the city. As Cobaleda pointed out, “it is not enough to have bicycles; it is necessary to be able to use them safely.”
You may also like
