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Diari de Catalunya

Fines of 90 euros on Via Laietana for unauthorized driving starting April 27

Cameras on Via Laietana will automatically fine unauthorized vehicles in the restricted uphill lane, following a warning period.

Image of a restricted lane on Via Laietana with traffic signs and historic buildings in the background.
IA

Image of a restricted lane on Via Laietana with traffic signs and historic buildings in the background.

Starting April 27, Barcelona's Via Laietana will activate 90-euro fines for drivers accessing the restricted uphill lane without proper authorization, concluding the warning period.

License plate recognition cameras installed on Via Laietana will automatically penalize unregistered vehicles or those not meeting the conditions for using the restricted uphill lane. This measure follows a month and a half of an informative phase, during which warnings were issued to offenders.
The road's renovation has created a single uphill lane, exclusively designated for public transport and local mobility. Buses, taxis, emergency services, and municipal vehicles are permitted to use it. Additionally, residents of nearby neighborhoods, such as Gòtic, Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera, and Barceloneta, can access it if their vehicle is authorized.
Other authorized groups include users of local parking facilities, people with reduced mobility with assigned spaces, and customers of establishments like hotels and workshops. Delivery vehicles are also allowed, but only during specific time slots: from 10 AM to 12 PM and from 2 PM to 4 PM, Monday to Saturday.
Any access to the uphill lane outside these conditions will be considered an infraction and detected by cameras, which will process the fine without direct intervention from agents. The municipal objective is to ensure that only vehicles linked to local mobility and essential services use this thoroughfare.
Unauthorized vehicles can use the downhill lane (towards the sea), which remains open to general traffic. To travel uphill, drivers without permission must use alternative routes in the vicinity, such as parallel streets or other main arteries in Ciutat Vella and Eixample.
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"Traffic restrictions make it difficult for customers to arrive, especially those coming from other neighborhoods or carrying bulky purchases."

local merchants
The restrictions have caused concern among merchants, who already experienced a drop in sales during the three years of construction work. Several stallholders from the Santa Caterina market and other business owners report that limited vehicle access reduces clientele and complicates daily business operations and supplier logistics. Commercial associations in Ciutat Vella had previously warned of the significant negative impact on economic activity and called for greater consensus with the City Council.

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