Bicycle places inside buildings: compulsory in European Union by 2027

Introduction: the '15-minute city' the beginning towards European strong actions on behalf of cycling

The '15-minute city' is a urban planning theory which states that no essential service for: living, working, providing for oneself, educating, taking care of oneself and resting can be more than a quarter of an hour away walking or by bicycle.

Part one: the European Union and the push for cycling

How has the European Parliament in Strasbourg facilitated the installation of my own bicycle in the Community of Owners? What year will it be compulsory to have a bicycle parking space for each car parking space in residential buildings?

This point is included in the Energy Efficiency of Buildings Directive in force since March 14, 2022.

The legislative text stipulates that all buildings, whether residential or not, must have parking facilities for bicycles. It also establishes different proportions between bicycle parking spaces according to type of habitat and bicycle parking spaces in relation to those for cars:

(a) Residential or rehabilitated buildings: two bicycle parking spaces per dwelling -there are always more than three car parking spaces-.

b) Non-residential buildings: at least one bicycle parking space per parking space. 

By 2027 all buildings will need at least one bicycle parking space for each car parking space. 

Part two: Barcelona and the push for cycling

What has been the evolution of bicycle use in the Catalan capital? How many kilometers does our urban bicycle network measure?

From 2019 to 2022, despite the pandemic, the annual capacity steps increased from 50 to 84 million according to the City Council.

Being able to control  future evolution of a vehicle flow involves planning several aspects:

- To estimate future urban network absorption capacity 

- Design the layout of the network - and re-designing it if necessary-

- Making bicycles, cars, tramways and buses compatible within the same network 

In Barcelona the network has been able to absorb a 68% increase in use.

Barcelona's bycicle network mesures 272 kilometers. In European terms, this is relatively close to Oslo, the fifth European city with 327, but far from the first European city which is Helsinki with 1.301 kilometers*.

* Data for the three cities are for the year 2021.

Third part: I come from my job and I want to store my bicycle in the Owners' Community of Property Owners (hereinafter OC) can I?

Yes, except that we do not have any debt with the OC. We can do it in a private space of common use. These are defined as: areas where the Board of Owners assigns us the use.  

a) Can a storage room be considered as a common space for private use?

Yes, Catalan Civil Law contemplates three  cession ways:

- Free of charge of the use of common elements that have a common use unanimity is required 
- In exchange for a consideration of less than 15 years, a simple majority is required 
- For periods longer than 15 years, a qualified majority of 4/5 is required 

b) I am a natural person. Can I build a storage room in the CP?

Yes, click here and we will explain it to you in a simple way.

c) Can I park my bicycle in my parking space?

Yes, this is the other possibility. However, two conditions must be met:

- You must have the explicit permission of the President 

- To place the bicycle strictly within your parking space

Why can't I go beyond the limits of my parking space? Because we will not be able to park it since the rest of the garage is communal space. 

Do you want to know more about garage and parking space? Click here and we will explain it to you. 

4. Emotional epilogue: it has been a real gift to sponsor the young promises section of the *Genesis *Cycling *Team

In 2020 Finques Feliu, under the impulse of our partner Miquel Gimeno, a cycling enthusiast, signed a three-year agreement with Genesis Cycling Team, which will not be renewed.

Farewells are always delicate and often with a bitter point. That said, at Finques Feliu we want to put the focus, not on what will stop, but on what will continue: the wonderful and constant educational task that Genesis Cycling Team develops and, we are sure, will carry out in the future with young people.

As a company we sincerely appreciate how Genesis Cycling Team has been a luminous guide to do our work with a spirit of self-improvement and self-demanding.

All of us together should apply the values of sport much more in our daily lives: 

- Training with the will to improve, without looking for immediate applause but the goal to overcome.

- Companionship, sacrifice for the benefit of a team leader.

- Tolerance to frustration when things do not go well.

In Finques Feliu the Genesis Cycling Team will always have a faithful follower. 

As a discreet gift, our Community Manager devotes to Genesis this article.

Thank you so much !!!!!!