The City Council will install six impact absorbers designed for urban roads and place reflective elements at conflict points such as the Glòries tunnel or the Tetuan square. The pilot tests are part of the Motorcycle Observatory.
The City Council of Barcelona has announced two pilot tests to improve the safety of motorcyclists in the city. On one hand, it will install impact absorbers at tunnel exits and junctions of fast roads such as the ring roads or Gran Via. On the other hand, it will place reflective delineators (fluorescent yellow elements) on curbs and construction areas to increase visibility. The measures have been agreed upon with the Motorcycle Observatory, which brings together the City Council, Motorcyclists for Barcelona, the employers' association Anesdor, and the victims' association P(A)T.
Absorbers Adapted to Urban Speed
Impact absorbers are passive devices that absorb kinetic energy in the event of a collision. Unlike those seen on highways, designed for impacts over 100 km/h, those to be tested in Barcelona are intended for urban speeds, up to 50 km/h. The plan is to install six units during 2027 at specific points such as the entrance of the Glòries tunnel (towards Besòs), the Lesseps tunnel (towards Llobregat), and the General Mitre ring road tunnel (towards Llobregat). These locations have concrete structures that can be particularly dangerous for motorcyclists.
According to the First Deputy Mayor, Laia Bonet, “the motorcycle is one of the most used elements in Barcelona and motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable groups.” The city is one of the European capitals with the highest motorcycle usage, with over 200,000 daily trips on this vehicle, according to municipal data.
“Safety measures are a priority for the City Government because the motorcycle is one of the most used elements,” Laia Bonet stated.
Yellow Delineators for Curbs and Construction
The second pilot test involves installing reflective delineators in fluorescent yellow to improve visibility on curbs and construction areas. The City Council has already tested this system in projects such as the Rovira tunnel, with good results. Now, the experience is being expanded to the Tetuan square, where they will be placed in three points: on the curb of the central island of the pedestrian crossing that crosses Gran Via on the Llobregat side, and on the two islands on the Besòs side. Installation is scheduled for this summer.
Additionally, during the lane closure of the Ronda de Dalt between exits 5 and 6 for covering works, delineators will also be placed to assess their effectiveness. The aim is for motorcyclists to better detect barriers and adjust their trajectory in advance. “This helps to take curves better,” municipal sources point out.
More Advanced Zones for Motorcycles (ZAM)
At the same time, the City Council will update the signage of the 52 existing advanced motorcycle zones (ZAM) in the basic network of Eixample, mainly on the streets of Aragón and Gran Via. These are spaces reserved for motorcycles at traffic lights, allowing them to position themselves in front of cars for a safe exit. The plan is that before the end of 2026, all current ZAMs will be reviewed and improved, and that during 2027, fifty more will be signposted, reaching a total of one hundred.
This measure responds to a commitment from the Motorcycle Observatory, which has been working to reduce motorcycle accidents since its inception. According to data from the City Council, in 2025 there were 1,234 motorcycle accidents in the city, a 3% decrease from the previous year, but motorcyclists continue to be the group with the most victims in traffic accidents.
Motorcyclists can check the exact locations of the pilot tests on the City Council's Mobility website. The works on the Ronda de Dalt and the new ZAM will be signposted with informative signs. The goal is for Barcelona to have a road safety network adapted to the needs of motorcyclists by 2027.
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