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The debate over taxis and VTCs in Barcelona is complicated by an avalanche of speakers
Regulation of taxis and VTCs in Barcelona is entering a more complex phase than expected. The new law promoted in the Parliament of Catalonia begins with such a broad calendar of hearings that it threatens to delay for months a rule considered urgent by part of the sector.
The process will bring together more than a hundred bodies connected to mobility, transport and economic activity. They include public authorities, taxi associations, VTC platforms such as Uber and Cabify, business organisations and representatives of tourism and trade fairs.
The scale of the debate reflects the extent to which regulation affects day-to-day life in Barcelona. The balance between taxis and VTCs has a direct impact on urban mobility, prices, traffic and the way residents and visitors travel around the city.
The Élite Taxi union, the sector’s majority union, is calling for the process to be accelerated and for the most representative stakeholders to be given priority. It considers that many of the bodies could make written submissions to avoid delays to legislation that has long been demanded.
The first sessions are scheduled for June and will take place every two weeks. Meanwhile, the parliamentary timetable continues to grow, with appearances by town councils, universities, consumer associations and metropolitan bodies.
Barcelona is thus once again placing mobility at the centre of political debate. The future regulation will define how taxis and VTCs coexist in the coming years and will shape much of the urban transport model for the metropolitan area.