PAPERS 48 DAILY MOBILITY IN CATALONIA DAIly MOBILIty IN THE RegIÓ In the framework of this section, reference Barcelona make only one out of every two MetROPOLITANA de BARcelONA is also made to the time dimension of connecting journeys, whereas on days the journeys undertaken, both in terms off this rises to three out of every four Carme Miralles-Guasch of the time of day when they take place connecting journeys made. Laia Oliver Frauca and the duration of the journeys. This study enables us to see the time given to Despite the high percentage of journeys mobility for undertaking different activities, undertaken via non-motorised means, Introduction in addition to knowing at which times which in the interior of the region comes to of the day people undertake different over 45% of the daily total, most journeys Mobility is closely linked with each region’s activities and satisfy their travelling undertaken in the Barcelona area social and territorial characteristics and requirements. are undertaken via motor vehicles. Due to it becomes a factor that enables us to the increased distance involved, motorised interpret the spatial distribution of urban Finally, the article addresses the mobility means of transport are used in practically activities, the availability of transport characteristics of different population all connecting movements, in which the services and their infrastructure, and segments according to the age, sex and quota for private transport use is very high. the functional relations that are set up social/professional category of each group. In this way, whereas on working days between different geographical areas. In Here our aim is to discover the impact of almost 20% of connecting journeys are the same way, mobility guidelines are also these variables on the average time taken undertaken via public transport, on days influenced by working hours, the opening for travelling, the reasons that lie behind off this percentage falls to little over 10% hours of commercial establishments the journeys and the means of transport of the journeys undertaken via motorised and services and the places where that each group employs. means. people undertake their daily activities. In addition, people’s individual and family Above and beyond the distance involved circumstances also more or less decisively 1. Territorial relations between daily activities, which limits condition individual mobility patterns, both the possibilities of managing without as a result of timetable constraints and the motorised means of transport, the means of transport used in order to meet 1.1. Mobility patterns and territorial differences observed in the modal the individual’s mobility requirements. dynamics distribution between public and private Data from the Survey of Daily Mobility transport bring about two mobility This article, which concentrates on the (SDM) 2006 give a figure of 147.9 patterns that reveal the marked territorial Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona (RMB) million journeys1 per week in the Regió imbalances in the public transport network deals with mobility behaviour patterns Metropolitana de Barcelona, which and the availability of its services. Thus, in this territorial area, paying particular represents over two thirds of the number whereas the central city and its most attention to the social and geographical of journeys recorded for Catalonia as immediate surroundings are integrated in features of its overall pattern. a whole. The concentration of mobility a more or less optimum manner through in the Barcelona area is due to the high transport services such as the Generalitat The first section therefore deals with the population figures and the activities de Catalunya Railway Network (CGR) the territorial relations that arise within the concentrated in and around the Catalan Renfe Commuter Train Network, daily and Barcelona region and with the remaining capital, in which 68% of the population night-time bus services, the underground territorial areas of Catalonia. After studying of Catalonia live and 68% of its business or the tramway, public transport operations basic mobility characteristics in this activities take place2.This movement fall off where communications with the area, flows on the municipal, district and density is constant throughout the week rest of Catalonia are concerned, with Catalonia-wide scales are analysed from with an average of 16 million journeys on the exception of the main centres of both internal and connecting perspectives. working days and 11 million journeys on population. As is outlined in the second The article in this way seeks to discover days off. part of the article, the network’s arterial the level of territorial integration of the character, the restricted nature of the different areas in relation to the reasons Over 90% of these journeys have routes and the limited timetable scope for travelling and the means of transport their origin and destination within the of public transport services outside available. boundaries of the metropolitan area, the metropolitan centre account to a although a significant increase in making significant degree for the variations in the Additionally, the mobility of the resident connecting journeys (with their origin abovementioned modal distribution, which population in the metropolitan area is or destination outside the metropolitan for connecting journeys, especially on days analysed. This second section focuses area) is recorded for days off, a figure off, favours the private vehicle. on the reasons for individual journeys, that doubles in absolute terms as a result both as regards occupational activities of people undertaking more personal, 1.2. The Regió Metropolitana and for personal reasons, as well as the leisure activities far from their place de Barcelona: functional relations means of transport employed in order of residence. Thus, the high capacity and territorial integration to meet travelling requirements and the for self-containment in the area on configuration of the modal networks. After working days lessens on days off, during Mobility is an activity that enables us to dealing separately with each one of these, which the potential attraction of other identify the functional relations set up on the text then focuses on the relationship Catalan regions increases. Indeed, if different territorial scales, both within the between the two variables in order to the connecting journeys between the metropolitan area and with the rest of understand the link between the reasons Barcelona region and other territorial Catalonia. and the means for mobility used by the areas3 are taken into account, it can be population. seen that on working days people from a. Municipal and district relations DAILY MOBILITY IN CATALONIA / 161 On the local level, 70% of the journeys As for journeys between the different For days off, however, mobility behaviour that take place on working days in the metropolitan districts, which represent in Barcelona’s municipalities and districts Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona are of 12% of the remaining movements, the changes, a phenomenon being recorded an intra-municipal nature, with insignificant demographic influence and concentration which matches what happens between differences recorded as far as the self- of activities in the Barcelonès district the whole of the metropolitan area and the containment capacity factor of the also makes this the district from which remainder of Catalonia. Not only is an different localities is concerned. In most most connecting flows originate, with overall decrease in the self-containment cases, the latter works out at percentages a total of 708,000 movements, slightly capacity of the municipalities recorded, but of around 60%, with the highest indices below 40% of the inter-county journeys this is especially marked in the case of the recorded in the municipalities of the undertaken in the Regió, a figure to which conurbation, which falls to a figure of 71%. Vallès Occidental district and the lowest the 633,000 connecting movements This decrease, which is also recorded in the Vallès Oriental. However, the recorded for the Baix Llobregat closely significantly in the Vallès Oriental, Vallès municipalities of the central Barcelona approximates, motivated above all by the Occidental and Alt Penedès districts, is conurbation4 must be excepted, where abovementioned close link with the city due above all to the increase in people the self-containment capacity factor is of Barcelona. undertaking leisure activities or other close to 80%, a value marked by the journeys of a personal nature towards presence of the city of Barcelona. These In fact, taking both directions of movement places outside the municipality where they differences between the central area and into account, the main relations between normally live. the metropolitan surrounding area can the districts of the Regió Metropolitana be explained by the urban and territorial are recorded with the Barcelonès district, At the district level, despite the important structure proper to each of the two areas, particularly with Barcelona itself. Thus, decrease in the volume of journeys, as well as by the location patterns for the relation with the highest two-way working days maintain the close relation residential, economic and service activities flow is also the one recorded between between the Barcelonès district and the in the heart of the metropolitan area. the Barcelonès and Baix Llobregat Baix Llobregat, Vallès Occidental and These