- It should be noted that Terrassa is currently part of the second metropolitan crown as well as of the Vallès and from here derives the need to strengthen the metropolitan centrality, balancing it with the Vallès reality. Challenges to achieve the rest of the sub-priorities: tariff zones, public transport management, social housing, circular economy, regional energy operators shared between municipalities, promotion of regenerated water – piping, low emission zones, waste treatment, international investors, digital divide, youth unemployment, women entrepreneurs, environmental sustainability programs: energy transition, pollution reduction, bike lanes, hydrogen-biogas, decarbonization, electric cars, sustainable infrastructures.
- The need for territorial and supralocal planning is fully assumed at a conceptual and theoretical level. In fact, in terms of management and planning, public transport has a long and extensive tradition (as is the case of the ATM and fare zoning). But also the planning instruments: the metropolitan territorial plan, the infrastructure master plan and others already fully integrate this overall territorial vision.
- Terrassa maintains intact its potential derived from its central position in the metropolitan area, increased by its demographic weight in the Catalan urban system (third city in Catalonia in number of inhabitants), by its role as an “escape valve” of the Barcelona gentrification, by its powerful university/educational reality and by its economic and productive capacity in the context of the Vallès.
- Terrassa’s participation in the Strategic Metropolitan Plan of Barcelona, as well as the bilateral cooperation lines established with municipalities with common interests (as is the case of the Metropolitan Arc), are opportunities to influence the future design of the metropolitan region. In parallel, there are also opportunities in the field of European urban strategies, through organizations such as Eurocities, and the large European economic region “Mediterrània-Barcelona-Toulouse-Lió”.
- Mobility/communication issues in the whole of this metropolitan-valley area have a notorious importance and certain controversial aspects. These topics are:
- Completion of the B-40 between Abrera and Terrassa.
- The northern ring road project between Terrassa and Sabadell.
- The project for an orbital railway line Terrassa-Sabadell-Granollers
- The economic penalty that represents for Terrassa the fact of belonging to the zone 3 of the railway tariffs or the toll of the C-16 highway to Les Fonts.
