The M-30, once a hostile asphalt frontier, was transformed in 2011 into Madrid Río, a sprawling urban park spanning over 120 hectares. This green haven, connecting the district of Arganzuela with Usera, Latina, and Carabanchel, quickly became a beloved space for leisure, children’s play, and recreation. Pedestrians, cyclists, and more recently, electric scooter users, reclaimed the territory once dominated by cars. However, this urban utopia is far from harmonious.
A ‘Tour de France’ on Two Wheels
“Some people think they’re in the Tour de France,” says Eduardo, a cyclist himself, echoing the widespread complaints from residents and park-goers about the encroachment of space and safety risks posed by reckless cyclists and scooter riders. Despite being on a bike with his two young children, Eduardo observes that “90% of cyclists don’t respect the signs or speed limits,” which he finds “quite dangerous.”
A mere hour’s stroll through the park reveals numerous cyclists, clad in team jerseys like Sky or Movistar, adopting sprint postures and speeding along the main path, often exceeding the 10 kilometers per hour limit. The signs and asphalt markings indicating pedestrian priority are frequently ignored.
Eduardo, a resident of Avenida del Manzanares in Carabanchel, considers Madrid Río a central part of his family life. Yet, the crossing he uses to access the park has become “a danger” due to bikes and scooters traversing it at excessive speeds. “I know there have already been some collisions,” he laments.
“There’s a lane on the Paseo de las Yeserías. What they need to do is reduce their speed, and if they want to go faster, use that lane,” Eduardo asserts. He suggests that the Madrid City Council “increase surveillance and penalties with patrols that truly control speed and adherence to rules.”
Lack of Enforcement: A Growing Concern
However, sources from the Urban Planning, Environment, and Mobility area of José Luis Martínez-Almeida’s government confirm to this newspaper that there are currently no municipal officers dedicated to controlling and penalizing these irregularities among cyclists. “We don’t have personnel in Madrid Río whose job it is to issue fines” for this issue, they admit, despite emphasizing the presence of “signage.”
The critical point Eduardo highlights is also located near one of the park’s many children’s play areas, situated along the margins but with insufficient separation from the cycle path. Children can easily wander onto the main thoroughfare, a concern for Erika, who is pushing her daughter’s stroller near Calle Antonio López. Her daughter was “almost run over recently.”
“Pufff!” sighs Erika when asked about the cycling issue. What surprises her, she says, is that “a tragedy hasn’t happened yet.” She believes that “99% of cyclists go into race mode” and proposes increasing the number of bike lanes, as “they don’t look at the signage, and increasing surveillance or fines might be more complicated.”
José Carlos, also with a stroller by his side, sits on a park bench, watching his grandson. A resident of Usera, he confesses to being “very concerned about the issue.” He distinguishes between two types of cyclists: those who simply cross the park or cycle for leisure, and those who “come to push themselves.” He believes the latter group represents “the vast majority.”
In his opinion, the solution isn’t so much about specific lanes as it is about reinforcing controls: “Cyclists use the shortest route they want, no matter how many lanes there are. What needs to be done is to raise awareness about their responsibility or impose it.” He encourages the City Council to increase signage: “There should be a sign every 200 meters.” He also suggests installing rumble strips to force a reduction in speed, similar to those used for vehicular traffic.
The Electric Scooter Dilemma and the Call for Insurance
José Carlos also raises the issue of electric scooters, advocating for their users, as well as cyclists, to be required to have “civil liability insurance” in case of incidents. “That could help resolve incidents and make them more aware of the danger of something happening,” he explains.
The topic is so pervasive that it sparks spontaneous conversations in the area, such as between Andrés and María. This couple doesn’t live near the river but occasionally visits to enjoy one of the city’s green lungs. “Weekends are horrible. Between bikes and scooters, you have nowhere to go,” she complains, warning of the danger “for children and the elderly.” Andrés recalls past battles between cyclists and motor vehicles, asserting that “in this case, they are the cars.” Indeed, one of the latest additions to Madrid Río’s unique ecosystem has been motorized bicycles, whose wasp-like hum is as present in the soundscape as casual conversations or birdsong.
Most cyclists interviewed (only those who were able to stop and talk, not those speeding through the park like Elon Musk’s rockets) prefer not to engage in controversy, defending their adherence to regulations while admitting the irresponsibility of some individuals. “What I wouldn’t say is that 90 or 99% break the law flagrantly. The problem is that those who don’t respect it draw a lot of attention,” says Manuel, enjoying a drink at a Madrid Río bar near Puerta del Ángel after an afternoon of intense cycling.
Marcos, a Bicimad user and Carabanchel resident, finds himself responding to these criticisms as a newcomer: “I joined this cycling thing two weeks ago.” His response begins with a question that points to those he considers the real threat to pedestrians: “Are you going to address the electric scooter issue?” He warns of “kids riding two by two and invading all the space.” Regarding the cycling tribe he has just joined, he admits that “sometimes there’s been the typical exchange of glances with pedestrians to see where each one is going, but luckily, it’s never escalated.”
As for electric scooter users, their young and fast-moving riders are not inclined to offer statements to escape reproach. If they avoid collisions with the same agility with which they dodge questions, safety in Madrid Río is more than guaranteed.
Thus, the three factions paint a veiled battle in one of Madrid’s great arcadias. An environment that many neighborhoods in the city would covet, but also an imperfect utopia due to the difficulty of reconciling conflicting interests. María summarizes it when she talks about the speed limits that, in her opinion, many cyclists do not respect: “It’s regulated, but unfortunately, this is not a happy world.”
Source: https://www.eldiario.es/madrid/somos/arganzuela/choque-peatones-ciclistas-patinetes-madrid-rio-creen-tour-francia_1_13099624.html
