Event
18/11/2024

PT Lab: The return of the bus: BRTs and BHLS to power mobility network in Catalonia and Barcelona

The first webinar of our new Public Transport Lab series will explore the revival of buses as a central mode in Europe’s urban mobility landscape.

With cities and regions increasingly turning to electric buses and the concept of Buses With High Level of Service (BHLS) and BRT systems, buses are gradually perceived as a flexible, sustainable, affordable and increasingly socially accepted mode—both by decision-makers and users.

Register here!

For questions, please contact Alonso Davila Graf,  adavilagraf@polisnetwork.eu and Juliette Thijsjthijs@polisnetwork.eu


What to expect from this webinar

Josep Mension, Director of the Bus Central Services Division at TMB (Barcelona’s public transport operator), will share Barcelona’s journey in revamping its bus network. Through a participatory and thorough mobility plan, the city and PTO created an efficient and integrated hierarchical bus network that complements the wider mobility network including metro lines, trams, regional railways, and connects the city to the region’s public transport network. Josep will highlight his work in the EU-funded project eBRT2030, where TMB is testing a high-capacity electric BRT line (route H12) that crosses the city through a busy traffic corridor.

Cristina Pou Fonollà, Head of Public Road Transport at the Government of Catalonia, will present the Expres.cat interurban bus network. Catalonia has implemented a BHSL network (Buses with High Level of Service) consisting of 43 bus lines that connect the provincial capitals with other medium cities and towns. Now, the government of Catalonia is planning the second phase to be launched soon: 40 new bus express lines that will run almost exclusively through high-capacity roads (especially highways, some with dedicated bus lanes), which allow higher speeds, and therefore competitivity against private means of transport.


The Public Transport Lab webinar series puts our vision for sustainable urban mobility into practice, shaping the future of public transport to become more efficient, inclusive, and resilient.

The Public Transport Lab webinar series is relaunching in 2024 to explore the future of public transport and its role in sustainable urban mobility. Running from November 2024 to early 2025, the series will cover key trends and innovations, bringing together local authorities, transport operators, and mobility experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Interested? Discover all the Public Transport Lab webinars

Please note: This webinar series will include some sessions open to the public, while others will be available to POLIS members only. Check each webinar for more information.