The Galician town is also renowned for having launched an unusual communication tool named Metrominuto. A map of Pontevedra inspired by underground maps, it displays distances and walking times for pedestrians in the city centre.
In addition to structural measures designed to encourage people to leave their cars at home, Pontevedra’s city council has also worked on its communication strategy. One of its key initiatives in this area has been the launch of Metrominuto. This small map in vivid colours, similar to various underground maps used elsewhere in Europe, displays both distances and walking times between key points in the city centre. For example, if a pedestrian wishes to travel from Plaza de la Peregrina in the centre to the hospital, located further east, they learn that it will take them seven minutes to complete the 600 m journey.
“We created this map because we wanted to do something original in terms of communication, without necessarily hanging signs everywhere in town” said Antonio Prieto, spokesman for Pontevedra’s Communications Department. “Then we thought about a metro map which could display metres and minutes. We know that locals don’t need to know how long a trip takes because they know already. But Metrominuto is more like a game, a recreational tool that helps them think in a different way by removing things that can seem like difficulties when people walk.”
The initiative has proved a success both among residents and at international level, with Metrominuto – and the city council’s overall policy – receiving the Intermodes 2013 Prize. In light of Metrominuto’s impact, another map has since been launched to target regular walkers. Called Pasominuto, it displays distances and the number of steps required along certain routes outside the city centre. The project’s designers have improvements in mind too, with one idea being to include the number of calories lost along the way. “We also plan to create a 20km Velometro [bike map] around the city, but we have to wait because some of the bicycle lanes have yet to be built,” added Prieto.