• THE EMEF 2021 is the Metropolitan Transport Authority’s (ATM) official statistics survey, which was conducted by the Institut d'Estudis Regionals i Metropolitans de Barcelona (IERMB, Barcelona Institute of Regional and Metropolitan Studies).

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The primary data show an increase in the average number of journeys per person over that of 2020, from 3.46 to 3.50 journeys per person per day. For its part, immobility decreased from the high levels of 2020 (14.4%) to 9.7% in 2021, although it was still higher than the 7% of 2019. As regards the reasons for the journeys, the personal mobility rate was 38% in 2021, slightly lower than the rates for 2020 and 2019.

The occupational mobility rate was 17.1%, marking an increase over the same indicator for 2020, though it continued to be lower than that of 2019. Regarding the different modes of transport, the number of journeys in all public transport (PT) has increased over the figures of 2020, reaching as much as 28.7% more in the case of the metro.

As far as the recovery of pre-covid mobility is concerned, mobility habits are getting back on track with no change in the means of transport, and with a gradual increase in confidence in the use of collective public transport.

As to the effects of the Low Emissions Zone within Barcelona's ring roads (ZBE Rondes de Barcelona), most of those surveyed said they were not affected by it (86%). Those most impacted by the ZBE on a daily basis were the residents of Barcelona and the rest of Zone 1. This was stated by 7% of the residents, while 1.7% of those living within the Barcelona Metropolitan Integrated Mobility System (SIMMB) said they were impacted by the ZBE.

The solutions adopted were different depending on where they lived. Residents of Barcelona opted for greater use of public transport, while those outside the city were more likely to buy a vehicle with an environmental label. As to the effects of the toll-free use of motorways:

• 37.4% of people living within the SIMMB (*Barcelona Metropolitan Integrated Mobility System) felt their daily commutes would be impacted. This figure was 44.7% among residents of the rest of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region (RMB) and dropped to 26.6% in the rest of the SIMMB.
• This change had greater impact on Saturdays and holidays among residents of the AMB (Barcelona Metropolitan Area), whereas throughout the rest of the RMB and the rest of the SIMMB, the impact was greater on working weekdays.
• Additionally, 11.4% of the residents of the area covered by the SIMMB said that they would change the means of transport and/or the route of their journeys.
• Those surveyed primarily felt the measure generated more traffic on those roads, increased numbers of new users of private vehicles, greater air pollution and more traffic accidents.
• What is the EMEF? Since 2003, the Workday Mobility Survey (EMEF) has been conducted annually among residents of the area covered by the ATM (Metropolitan Transport Authority) aged 16 and over. In all, 10,100 people take part in the survey. The aim is to find out the general mobility patterns, how they evolve, their distinctive characteristics, and the residents' opinions and expectations regarding transport, as well as their daily journeys, among other things. All this information, which is gathered telephonically and online, helps to guide the short- and medium-term planning and management of the transport system.

2022 edition

Last 28 september marked the start of the field work for the second wave of the EMEF 2022, where it will be important to find out whether mobility is recovering under more favourable public health circumstances. The information compilation methods are the same as those used in previous editions, with an initial forecast of 2,266 online interviews and 7,834 telephone interviews.

Information on the new Mobility Observatory of Catalonia

This survey is available at the web portal of the new Mobility Observatory of Catalonia (OMC), a digital platform promoted by the Government of Catalonia aimed at bringing together all the information related to mobility in Catalonia on a single website.

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