The bus leaves Monday to Friday at 8.30am sharp outside the Sant Antoni market in Barcelona’s Eixample district, but this is no ordinary vehicle; it has hundreds of wheels, dozens of drivers – and no passengers. This is the Barcelona bicibús, the fun, safe mode of transport that makes going to school feel like a party.
On a cool September morning, a group of about 60 parents and children aged three to 11, on bikes and scooters, gather in the Plaça Conxita Pérez for the school run. This being Friday, the mood is especially festive. Dua Lipa’s Dance the Night is playing and there’s an air of excitement as though the kids were going on an excursion, not just to school.
