Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

With the weather forecast indicating the possibility of snow in the upper parts of the city, people are being advised to avoid using private vehicles and to wear warm clothing. Snow ploughs and salt for spreading on roads and pavements are also ready should they be needed.

Teams from the Area for Urban Ecology, Environment and Urban Services have been mobilised and are ready to act if needed, to spread salt and clear snow from streets and main roads.

There are 113 containers around the upper parts of the city (in the districts of Les Corts, Gràcia, Sarrià – Sant Gervasi, Horta-Guinardó and Nou Barris), each loaded with 700 kg of salt for use by local residents. The containers were filled at the start of the winter and represent 72 tonnes of salt, located around strategic points in the city. A further 700 tonnes are in storage for municipal services to use should this be required.

The municipal emergency plan for snow and ice entails the mobilisation of specific resources if necessary:

• 21 vehicles with snow ploughs and salt spreaders, each with two operators and sufficient personnel to ensure shifts overlap. If needed, all street cleaning and road sweeping teams can double up as manual salt-spreading teams as well.
• 8 vehicles with snow ploughs, each with two operators and a minimum of 16 workers per shift.
• 8 salt storage points.

The Barcelona Fire Service and the City Police are also ready to act if needed.

Basic tips in case of snow in the city

If it snows, people are advised to:

• Avoid the use of private vehicles and use underground public transport. In particular, people are advised against using the roads which cross the Collserola mountain range and in general to be very cautious when driving.
• If leaving the house, people are advised to wear suitable clothing and footwear for bad weather and snow.
• As a preventive measure for building and their inhabitants, people are requested not to water down streets, preventing sheet ice from forming, and not to throw accumulated snow from balconies and terraces into the street.