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Anoia Blue Route Phase I

In this section, the necessary actions will be carried out to produce a continuous path close to the Anoia river, for use by pedestrians and bicycles or by non-motorised transport, linked to the main roads and urban centre of the Ódena river basin and the region through which it flows.

Specifically, the project of these works encompasses the upper section of the Anoia river, between Jorba and La Pobla de Claramunt.

ROUTE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

The PSTD Blue Routes: recovery of natural river paths for sustainable tourism (Anoia Blue Route Phase I) is the first step to make the Barcelona Blue Routes project a reality.

During 2022 - 2025 (with a global budget of €6.2 million, of which €4.5 million is EU funding and €1.7 million the own funds of the Barcelona Provincial Council) 19 kilometres of the route will be built in the section of the Anoia river, passing through five municipalities in the region: Jorba, Santa Margarida de Montbui, Igualada, Vilanova del Camí and La Pobla de Claramunt.

The project, financed by the European Union through Next Generation funds within the framework of the Spanish government's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, aims to improve the current path, bringing it closer to the river and recovering historical paths, elements of the local heritage and landscape, enhancing both the cultural and natural wealth of the area through the conservation and protection of natural habitats.

In this way, the construction of the Anoia Blue Route as a new tourist destination will contribute to the promotion of tourism and the sustainable development of the region in three ways (economically, socially and environmentally) by forging alliances with the sector stakeholders.

The PSTD Anoia Blue Route Phase I is part of the Barcelona Blue Routes initiative, which will cover more than 250 kilometres, pass through 49 municipalities in 7 counties (Alt Penedès, Anoia, Bages, Baix Llobregat, Berguedà, Solsonès and Vallès Occidental), and connect nearly 5 million people. The route runs through 3 natural parks, 12 protected natural areas and 8 tourist areas to promote non-vehicular sustainable mobility.

The routes will have a standard width of 3 metres and a gentle gradient, with sections adapted for wheelchairs and separate lanes for pedestrians and cyclists. They will also have active security systems, signage, information and environmental education with a commitment to the use of renewable energy.

 

The project is structured in 6 actions that contribute to the 4 core themes set out in the Sustainability Tourism Destination Strategy, the guide for the calls for Sustainable Tourist Destination Plans (PSTD in its Catalan initials): green and sustainable transition, improved energy efficiency, digital transition and boosting competitiveness:

The aim of this action is to adapt the space and build the 19 kilometres of pathway that run along the first section of the Blue Route following the Anoia river. As part of this process, an urban plan will be drawn up to determine the uses of the space, with special emphasis on the principle of not causing significant damage to the environment (DNSH, Do No Significant Harm), bringing the river closer to the general public and the surrounding towns to promote a healthy and sustainable use of the route. The conservation of the environment and the promotion of natural and cultural heritage are the two main features of this action.


The general criteria for the construction solutions of the pathway focus on the use of a common language to give the routes a character of their own, the keeping interventions to a minimum, enhancing their integration in the landscape, using local materials and workforce and, finally, apply intelligent and bioengineering solutions.

The design of the Blue Route has been developed in accordance with innovation and sustainability criteria, with a commitment to the energy efficiency of its components. Thus, the route will have efficient lighting and LED screens that will work thanks to an independent and autonomous system powered by solar and wind energy. The LED screens located at the gate will show information on the condition of the path and recommended routes.


The LED screens will display all kinds of information (alarm warnings, road conditions, temperature, event schedules, recommended routes, etc.).

The aim of the route is to enhance the region's value based on the construction of the route and its projection as a tourist destination. In accordance with sector trends, we need to move towards a new tourism model based on de-seasonalisation, offering the route as a complement to the city and sun-and-sand holidaymaking; reducing concentration, promoting rural areas as a quality tourist destination; and stressing the value of natural and cultural heritage as a source of sustainable development for the region.

To accompany the promotion of tourism through this newly created product with a strategy based on the development and implementation of a digital tourism marketing plan and a communication plan. It will also be complemented by the launch of digital tools to position this new product in the domestic and international tourist offering.

The potential of the route requires agile and constant digital tools and data analysis, a comprehensive mobility management system in terms of both access and use. In accordance with the principles of innovation and sustainability that characterise the construction of the route, a data collection system will be implemented to facilitate decision-making, among other aspects, to regulate access to the route and thus guarantee a safe experience without crowding. A set of sensors will be installed that will feed a server with specific mobility management software, not only for the route managers but also at the service of the general public through the electronic devices that will be located along the route with alerts about its occupancy or circumstances such as weather incidents, accidents or health emergencies.

The action focuses on the creation and implementation of an accessible project through suitable signage along the route, at the access gates and in the immediate surroundings, as well as the installation of furniture in the recreation and rest areas.

The necessary actions will be identified and implemented so that the area of the river basin, service facilities, means of access transport and the layout of the section achieve, through reasonable adjustments, the conditions of accessibility established by law. The aim is to guarantee the highest quality in access and services to each of the gates, connections, rest areas or viewpoints of the infrastructure.

The purpose of this action is to provide the Anoia Blue Route Phase I with a coordination system that, on the basis of strategic planning and quality, promotes the maximum potential of this initiative. Apart from the preparation of a strategic management plan and a quality plan that establishes the methodology and training necessary to obtain hiking and cycle tourism seals and certifications, the challenges of this action also include the implementation of the commitment to sustainability in the region and the involvement of companies in the project.

In addition, essential activities will be promoted to generate sustainable tourism content and connect society in the area with the new destination through awareness campaigns and the creation of a sporting event to publicise the new route.

 

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