An agreement that transforms transport in Barcelona
The recent renegotiation of the Tram operating model in Barcelona has generated a significant impact on public finances, according to calculations presented by Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC). This agreement, formalised in January 2019 after Alfred Bosch stepped down as president of the municipal group, has allowed the Autoritat del Transport Metropolità (ATM) to save between 1.3 and 1.8 million euros annually.
The change occurred when Ernest Maragall took over leadership as a candidate and secured a pact with BComú and the PSC to extend line T4 to Verdaguer. However, ERC firmly opposed allowing a private operator to gain greater economic benefits from this extension. Thanks to this more restrictive approach, it is estimated that the concessionaire will receive less income than would have been possible without the agreed modifications.
The data is compelling: before the renegotiation, a higher marginal remuneration for the concessionaire was anticipated, with an estimated industrial profit of 10%. Following the changes implemented by ERC, this percentage has been reduced to 6%, resulting in considerable savings for public coffers. If demand continues to grow —as projections indicate— reaching 39 million validations annually, total savings could exceed 10 million euros by the end of the concession in 2032.
Despite the optimism regarding current savings, ERC has also raised questions about future tram connections. Although they have speculated about an additional saving of between 6 and 8 million annually if the planned works for 2030 are completed, there are no guarantees on when these constructions will actually begin. Uncertainty remains regarding whether these works will be ready before the end of the concession.
As this situation progresses, Rosa Suriñach is ready to present these arguments during the upcoming Urban Planning commission. The councillor is clear about her objective: to demonstrate how this new model not only benefits citizens through an improvement in public service but also to the municipal budget.
As these crucial issues are discussed in the local political arena, a fundamental question arises: who will ultimately be responsible for the full operation of the tram system? With options like TMB or FGC interested in taking on this responsibility, it remains to be seen how this situation will evolve and what implications it will have for users of Barcelona's public transport.
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