More Than 100 Trips Completed Since June
Staff at CAP Sant Pere in Reus have made over 100 home visits using La Ganxeta, the city’s shared bicycle service, during a four-month pilot programme that began in June 2026. The initiative, a collaboration between Reus Mobilitat i Serveis and the Institut Català de la Salut (ICS), allows medical professionals to use bikes for domiciliary care trips. The trial is voluntary and free for staff during its first six months. It aims to offer a sustainable, efficient alternative to car travel for local home visits.
Bikes Allow Faster, Greener Travel
Seventy per cent of trips started or ended at the Biblioteca station near the health centre, with others linked to nearby stops including Passeig de Prim, Les Oques, La Pastoreta and Passeig de l'Aleixar. The average journey time was 8.4 minutes, reflecting short-distance professional travel within the city. Under the agreement, healthcare workers can exceed the standard 30-minute public ride limit if needed for patient care, with access to exclusive codes allowing trips of up to two hours.
"This hundred trips shows the bicycle can be a useful alternative for certain nearby home visits," said Jordina Farré, technical officer for Environment, Energy Efficiency and Quality at ICS Camp de Tarragona.
She added: "It’s not about replacing vehicles in all cases, but offering staff a voluntary, practical and sustainable option when the route allows."
Support for Sustainable Public Services
Daniel Marcos, president of Reus Mobilitat i Serveis, welcomed the results.
"Initial data confirm the potential of public bikes as a viable alternative that combines environmental sustainability, modernisation of services and improved quality of life for citizens,"
he said. Olga Ochoa, primary care manager at ICS Camp de Tarragona, highlighted the broader health message:
"By using La Ganxeta, we’re not only caring for health, we’re promoting healthy habits and setting an example."
The partnership also includes plans for public workshops on active mobility and joint awareness campaigns via social media, featuring staff testimonials. La Ganxeta has recorded more than 4,700 unique users and 177,000 trips since launching two years ago. The most active stations include Oques, Sant Jordi, Greco, Jardins de Reus, Mas Iglesias and Renfe.
Primary sources: transparencia.reus.cat, ics.gencat.cat. Reported by carlota.montoya, icscampdetarragona.cat, laciutat.cat, diaridetarragona.com, reusdigital.cat.
