Javier Frías: “It's important to know where you will park your car before leaving in order to save on CO₂”
Movement is part of our routines. To go to university, to work, to shop, to the theater, or to dinner, the way we move not only determines our quality of life but also that of our city.
Committing to sustainable mobility is one of the key aspects for the Agenda 2030. It argues that in order to transition towards sustainable transportation, short and long-term strategies should be adopted to reduce carbon emissions through the implementation of new technologies. And for this, bold innovations and the establishment of partnerships between Governments, civil society, and the private sector are necessary.
To understand more about how urban mobility will affect our city, we had the pleasure of speaking with Javier Frías, Commercial Manager of Parkings at Núñez i Navarro.
It is anticipated that by 2024 almost 82% of trips in the city will be made on foot, by public transport, or by bicycle. "The idea is for the city to be pedestrian-friendly, a space designed for citizens and to make it easy to get to places on foot,"explains Frías. This does not mean that there are no places that, despite being accessible by public transport, people choose to reach by private transport, whether it's a matter of time, necessity, or simply convenience, "and parking lots are the perfect repository to do so"explains Frías.
In this regard, the role of parking facilities is essential, also in terms of sustainability. Frías specifies: "Parking lots exist to provide a service. People who own cars need to park them somewhere when they move around. Knowing where to park in advance can reduce the time spent looking for parking in the city, and consequently reduce the CO₂ footprint, even if it's minimal. Therefore, it's important to know where you will park your car before leaving to save on CO₂".
Desde Núñez i Navarro, tenemos la voluntad de anticiparnos a las necesidades de las personas. “Ofrecemos lo que la gente necesita”, explica Frías. “Creemos que es la voz de nuestros clientes lo que realmente importa. Una de las cosas que intentamos trabajar en especial es la flexibilidad; adaptarnos a los horarios de las personas”.
This adaptability was a key point during the pandemic, when parking facilities had to adjust to the population's needs. "People didn't have to go to the office every day. We had to adapt to the situation we were all living through. So our Group created a special pass; a product that would fit just one day, and whose price wouldn't be high."
After the pandemic, this special pass continues to be very useful for those looking for parking for a specific day. Frías explains that it is "an economical offer that allows you to leave home with peace of mind, arrive, park and not worry, with reservations through mobility operators such as Parclick, Parkimeter, OnePark, ElParking or ParkApp".
In the end, it's not just about flexible scheduling, but also about adapting to the global particularities of clients, such as preferences when choosing a spot, in cases of monthly rental or guardianship. "Some clients are not convinced they like the spot until they have parked there for 2 or 3 days. That's why we send them all the information, the price, and they can have the keys to park on the same day. If once inside they find it doesn't suit them, the change is made immediately, depending on availability," explains Frías.
In turn, Javier Frías confirms that the concept of a parking space is different in other countries. "In Germany, people use the bus to go get their car and then go home, because there's no place to park in the cities." That's where the idea of the "park and ride" makes sense, where people park to then use public transportation. "They assume that the parking is not right under their house," comments Frías.
This concept of “park and ride”, or deterrent parking, is a widespread measure in Europe, but its application to the city of Barcelona is a huge challenge: “Large free car parks have been proposed so that from there people can take public transport to the city. It's a project that has its limitations, from the space it requires, to the complexity of accommodating all the cars that enter Barcelona; and it also has to be public, fast, and efficient to be able to take people to the center.”
Cuando le preguntamos a Javier Frías sobre qué medidas de sostenibilidad se implementa en parkings más allá del “park and ride”, comenta: "Una de las mejores iniciativas para mejorar en el ámbito de la sostenibilidad es apostar por el bajo consumo eléctrico, pero también es muy importante que la gente sepa dónde aparcar. Cuánto más fácil sea encontrar un aparcamiento, menos CO₂ se emitirá en la ciudad”.
Public space is another essential component in a sustainable city. If we walk through Barcelona, we will see the sidewalks full of motorcycles using the public space to park. Frías explains that this is due to the ease of parking and the good climate that the city offers: "One of the great advantages of riding a motorcycle is the ease of parking. Barcelona is a very beautiful city to ride a motorcycle in, and the climate and conditions of the city make it an even more attractive means of transportation. It's not the same to ride a motorcycle in Helsinki... here you don't have problems with ice and cold. In fact, it's such a recurring activity in the city, that it has become part of the culture to park on the street."
In this regard, Frías explains that the Group offers solutions to drivers who are more aware of this lack of space: "We have many motorcycle spaces and have made very affordable motorcycle offers, because we believe that the future requires it in terms of motorcycles."
At Núñez i Navarro, we have numerous parking facilities in Barcelona, complementing the city's extensive parking services. You have the option to get information on our website before leaving, consult us or purchase a pass easily. Improving mobility and sustainability in travel is undoubtedly a concern for all of us.
