Barcelona's City Police began issuing fines of up to €100 for illegally parked motorcycles on pavements in the Sants-Montjuïc district on 20 April 2026.
This enforcement phase follows an initial informative campaign and targets areas in Sants, Hostafrancs, and La Bordeta, where residents have lodged numerous complaints about motorcycles obstructing pedestrian access.
The campaign, which started its informative phase on 13 April 2026 with public notices and material distributed to drivers, has now transitioned to a sanctioning phase.
Targeting Key Areas
The City Council identified specific streets and squares with high incidence rates for illegal parking. These include Mercat de Sants, Plaça de la Farga, Plaça d'Osca, Carrer d'Olzinelles, Carrer del Consell de Cent, Carrer del Rector Triadó, and Carrer de Melcior de Palau. Officials stated that the campaign will soon extend to other neighbourhoods within the district, such as Poble-sec and La Marina.
The fines are structured according to the severity of the infraction. Motorcyclists face a €50 penalty for parking on pavements less than three metres wide, or less than six metres wide if the motorcycle is not parallel to the carriageway. The same fine applies for obstructing access to rubbish containers.
More severe penalties of €100 are imposed for parking on pavements providing access to schools and hospitals, estacionating on pedestrian crossings, or occupying cycle lanes and spaces adjacent to bicycle parking areas.
New Regulations and City Plan
According to the City Council, this enforcement drive is based on the new Circulation Ordinance, which has been in effect since February 2026. This ordinance explicitly prohibits parking motorcycles on pavements near schools and healthcare facilities and establishes a clearer sanctioning regime that also applies to electric scooters and bicycles.
The City Council also emphasised that this initiative forms part of the municipal 'Pla Endreça' (Organisation Plan), which aims to improve public spaces. Officials reiterated that pavements must be reserved for "the most vulnerable and numerous," referring to pedestrians.
As a complementary measure, the City Council noted that approximately 2,500 new on-road parking spaces for motorcycles have been created across the city in recent years to accommodate vehicles off pavements.
The ongoing campaign signifies Barcelona's commitment to enhancing pedestrian safety and accessibility, with further extensions of the enforcement measures anticipated in additional areas of the Sants-Montjuïc district.
