Current Conditions 'Insufficient' for Intercity Travellers
The Public Transport Promotion Association (PTP) has called for the completion of Avinguda Meridiana redevelopment, demanding significant improvements to the intercity bus stops at Sagrera-Meridiana. In a statement issued on Wednesday 21st October 2026, the group said that while recent works have improved bus operations, the waiting conditions for passengers remain "insufficient" and "poorly protected". Passengers using routes to Vallès Occidental, Vallès Oriental, Osona, and Moianès face growing demand due to the "lack of reliability of Rodalies services", the PTP noted. Despite upgrades to road layout and traffic flow, the current shelters fail to meet the needs of long-distance bus users who often wait for extended periods in exposed conditions.
Shelters Too Small, Lacking Comfort
The association stressed that the standard yellow urban bus shelters currently in place are unsuitable for intercity travel.
Users queue to sit and, on some routes, to avoid standing on the ground
, the PTP said, adding that existing shelters offer little space, comfort, or separation from traffic. They are calling for new shelters with adequate dimensions, effective sun and rain protection, seating, good lighting, and vegetation to delineate the waiting area from the general pavement. This would free up footpaths and improve walkability, particularly during inclement weather.
Coordination Needed Between Authorities
The PTP has urged Barcelona City Council, the Generalitat, the Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATM), and bus operators to coordinate a definitive configuration for the stops. Under the Pla director urbanístic dels aparcaments d’intercanvi, such interchanges should be fully integrated into the public transport network. Although bus operations have improved under the ongoing Meridiana reform, the PTP insists the project cannot be considered complete while people continue to wait in poorly protected, difficult-to-navigate spaces.
'Sagrera-Meridiana Needs a Worthy Interchange'
"Sagrera-Meridiana needs a worthy interchange both for vehicles and, above all, for people," the association asserted. They dismissed alternatives such as relocating services to the new Sagrera TAV station or Fabra i Puig, citing weaker metro connectivity at those locations. A meeting record from the Ajuntament de Barcelona confirms that provisional services and stops were established during the Meridiana works, with future consolidation still under review. The PTP warns against underinvestment in the site, stating:
We would not want to think that this is the underlying reason for not having sufficiently cared for the waiting area at Sagrera-Meridiana
.
Primary sources: rodalies.gencat.cat, Ajuntament de Barcelona, territori.gencat.cat, urban-mobility-observatory.transport.ec.europa.eu. Reported by elperiodico.com, atm.cat, El Periódico Barcelona.
