Europe's Cityscapes Transformed: Prioritizing People over Automobiles

In the heart of Spain, the city of Pontevedra is making waves as a pioneer in sustainable urban living. The city, home to roughly 250,000 inhabitants, has been steadily transforming its urban landscape to prioritise pedestrians, cyclists, and other modes of transportation over cars.

In 2022, Pontevedra declared its entire urban area (approximately 490 hectares) as a "reduced traffic zone," a move aimed at significantly restricting car traffic. This decision was part of a broader strategy to create a city that values its residents' safety and well-being over the convenience of cars.

The city's mayor, Miguel Anxo Fernandez Lores, a politician of the Galician Nationalist Bloc party (Bloque Nacionalista Galego, BNG), has been at the helm of these changes for over two decades. Lores, currently serving his seventh mandate as mayor, is planning to run for an eighth term in 2027.

Since the end of the 1990s, Pontevedra has seen a dramatic reduction in CO2 emissions, with levels dropping by approximately 67%. This reduction is evident in the consistent diminishing of car numbers in the city.

In response to national and international initiatives, such as the European Union's Green City Accord and the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities EU Mission, Pontevedra has been proactive in implementing changes. For instance, in 2010, the city became the first in Spain to enact a speed limit of 30 km/h on all roads within its urban territory.

The city's urban model prioritises pedestrians, bicycles, scooters, public transportation, and private transportation in that order. Transit traffic and circling for parking are not allowed anywhere in the city, and only 800 cars reach the main square, Praza de España, on a daily basis.

Streets in the rest of the city are single-track roads with wide sidewalks, and parking is allowed between 9 PM and 9 AM. Pedestrians take precedence in the centre and in roughly a third of the city overall, with roads and sidewalks being indistinguishable.

The city's commitment to sustainability is evident in its air quality, which surpasses national standards, and the creation of safer streets. The number of cars in the European Union exceeded 259 million in 2024, with Italy having the highest motorisation rate (701 cars per 1,000 inhabitants). In contrast, Pontevedra's downtown area bustles with a large number and diversity of shops, including local boutiques, jewellers, florists, and bookstores.

Pontevedra's efforts towards sustainability have not gone unnoticed. The city has received numerous awards for its good practices, including the UN-Habitat's 2014 Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development and the 2020 European Commission's EU Urban Road Safety Award.

Other European cities, like Freiburg and Oslo, are also taking steps towards more sustainability, following in Pontevedra's footsteps. Spain adopted this measure to comply with the legally binding requirements of the Paris Agreement, setting an example for other cities and countries to follow.

As the world continues to grapple with climate change and urbanisation, Pontevedra serves as a shining example of a city that prioritises its residents and the planet, without imposing an outright ban on private vehicles. The city's success lies in its balanced approach, which prioritises people over cars while still accommodating the needs of its inhabitants.