ARCHIVED - Gran Via in Murcia city closed to traffic on Sundays from October
Murcia city council wants to encourage sustainable transport
Murcia city council has announced that from the beginning of October, the principal arterial road of the Gran Vía in the city will be closed to traffic on Sundays.
Mayor, José Antonio Serrano, explained that the initiative will be launched within the framework of the “European Week of Sustainable Mobility” under the motto of ‘Move in a sustainable way for the benefit of your health' which will be held in the municipality from September 16 to 22 and includes a number of activities encouraging the residents of the city to think about their chosen method of transport and participate in community activities promoting the use of sustainable transport.
These include walks, cycle rides and informative stands in public areas as well as activities for younger children.
The Mayor stressed that the objective behind closing the Gran Vía on Sundays is that the initiatives to promote sustainable mobility go beyond just the one week and remain in place so that residents are constantly reminded of the importance of reducing the use of private vehicles.
During the pandemic the Gran Vía was closed to enable residents to go out and walk and be able to observe social distancing in the city centre, an initiative which was very successful.
The council also announced that European Next Generation funds, being made available following the coronavirus pandemic, will focus on improving public transport and bike lanes and encouraging sustainable forms of transport.
Image 1: Ayto. Murcia
Image 2: Google streetview