All political groups of the Madrid City Council have agreed on an action plan to deal with the corona pandemic and lay the foundations for recovery. The ‘Acuerdos de la Villa’ (City Council Agreements) contain measures in various areas – emergencies, health, mobility, economy, tourism – to guarantee the wellbeing of the people living in … Continue reading Madrid – Pact for wellbeing and recovery
Madrid has launched a new on-demand bus service pilot to connect two hospitals in the outskirts of the city. The pilot has been launched in cooperation with Viavan, among other companies. During the pilot phase the bus service will be free of charge. More information (in Spanish) here.
Madrid’s City Council approved the ‘Pactos de la Villa’, an agreement listing 352 measures to revive the city after the pandemic. Measures include the reinforcement of social services, a telecare program, and the creation of a municipal social card and many more. Read more here and here (in Spanish)
Madrid is reopening all 68 of its nursery schools, while taking into account new health and safety measures, such as ensuring that schools do not exceed 50% capacity at any one time. This means organising children and teachers into smaller groups that should remain stable over time. Read more here
Madrid City Council has allocated €5 million to strengthen social services with 264 personnel. The Temporary Employment Plan (PET) includes 118 social workers (a 22% increase over the total) and 41 administrative assistants (33% more). PET has a duration of six months, extendable up to three years. In addition, the employment plan approved this week … Continue reading Madrid – Strengthening social services
Madrid City Council has opened 15 places in shared housing for victims of gender violence, expanding the city council’s capacity as a temporary measure in response to the current increase in cases of gender violence. Read more here
With Municipal nursery schools will reopen their doors to students from 0 to 3 years old from July 1, Madrid is also looking to organise urban summer camps that will be operating from the second half of July. Read more here
To celebrate world cycling day, Madrid has authorised the deployment of 4,800 free-standing shared electric bikes throughout its city, the use of which will help people get around while still respecting physical distancing guidelines. Read more (in Spanish) here. Besides celebrating this move, Madrid has also taken a moment to pause and thank those operating … Continue reading Madrid – Public transport gratitude
The city council of Madrid lowers taxes to promote the recovery of commerce, leisure, hospitality and culture. The reduction will lead to a drop of more than €66 million in business taxes. The aim is to mitigate the negative economic effects in sectors especially affected by the pandemic. You can read more here (in Spanish)
Madrid is curbing the return of cars to its streets by cutting traffic on several roads to allow children to play and exercise on the road on their bikes, scooters and rollerblades. More information (in Spanish) here. The city has also opened a new car park reserved entirely for shared vehicles. More information (in Spanish) … Continue reading Madrid – Support for safe mobility
Madrid has developed a recovery plan for mobility that seeks to guarantee health and safety, provision of public services, and restoring confidence in the use of public transport. The recovery plan, which affects everything from buses and cable cars to cranes and parking is available (in Spanish) here.
Madrid’s municipal transport company increased its operational bus fleet to 90% of normal service at peak times in response to the first stage of deconfinement, which began on 25 May. The buses are running with a much lower capacity, having blocked off half of the available seats and capped the number of people who may … Continue reading Madrid – Buses ramping up service
Madrid is running a campaign to raise awareness among public transport users about the importance of following daily gestures such as respecting seat priority for people with disabilities, people with reduced mobility, pregnant women or the elderly. These gestures will make mobility easier and more pleasant for these groups who are particularly impacted by deconfinement … Continue reading Madrid – Easy moving for people with disabilities
Madrid’s ‘Applaud Madrid’ plan will augment the city’s cultural budget, which remains uncut, with at further €7.5 million to avoid the closure of cultural spaces and institutions. Theaters will receive €1.9 million, cinemas €1.2 million, live music venues €1.3 million and theater, dance and circus companies €530,000. These grants will cover the costs of supplies … Continue reading Madrid – €7.5 million for culture
‘Transparency – so that everything that happens is visible to everyone’: that is the motto of a website from Madrid’s city council, to inform citizens about the council’s decisions and actions. A special section now gives access to information related to the city’s measures on COVID19 and data on the pandemic, also informing about public … Continue reading Madrid – All information in one place
The city council of Madrid is working on conditions to reopen the 5,323 terraces in the Spanish capital as soon as phase 1 of the de-escalation of the corona lockdown allows it. The aim is to make regulations more flexible and to harmonise the interests of hoteliers, shopkeepers and neighbours. The Hotel and Catering Terraces … Continue reading Madrid – Preparing the reopening of terraces
The municipal markets will start to sell vouchers to give the consumers the opportunity to support the action made by district associations to provide food to those in need. The Economy, Innovation and Employment Area has doubled the amount of subsidies for the expansion of municipal markets, as well as their digitalization, which has been … Continue reading Madrid – Vouchers to support food solidarity
The cultural service of the City of Madrid have selected a range of cultural activities for citizens to enjoy, such as virtual theatre. Read more here
A new study by the city of Madrid shows that up to 22% of residents could demands help from social services and that 46% of the city’s families have been affected. Read more here
People living in Madrid can watch films from their balconies during the corona lockdown after the local government brought in huge screens. The balcony cinema moves to a different neighbourhood every evening for people to watch a film with their neighbours. You can find a video from the BBC here
The social services of the city are slowly coming back to the normal meetings to serve the most urgent cases. 22 centers will reopen this week to combine digital and physical services. Read more here (in Spanish)
Experts have prepared this a guide to help decision-makers, from a technical point of view, on the criteria to identify the most suitable car parks for Covid testing. Urban car parks have a number of convenient characteristics for this purposes, such as allowing for significant flows of people in an orderly manner while facilitating the … Continue reading Madrid – Car parks guide for covid testing
Madrid has opened a complex of apartments to host elderly people without COVID-19 symptoms who have lost their caregivers, which in many cases is also a loved one, or who do not benefit from the help of a caregiver. The new space can welcome up to 75 people, who will benefit from social and psychological … Continue reading Madrid – Apartments for seniors
Madrid has reduced procedures related to social aid to a minimum so it can meet the growing demand for municipal aid as quickly as possible. For example, justification for applications are accepted after having received the aid, and applicants who need recurring help will be able to apply for it with a single application. Read … Continue reading Madrid – Fast track aid
A call has gone out to Madrid’s startups and innovative SMEs to offer solutions that will allow for the resumption, as much as possible, of normality. Three challenges for those competing include: facing the economic reality after the pandemic; redefining the concept of cities in the face of the need for new models of interpersonal … Continue reading Madrid – Hackathon for innovation
More than 2,500 teenagers have participated in activities ranging from cooking to magic tricks, to healthy nutrition, crafts, music, video games, dancing or sports. For example, over 120 teenagers joined in a ‘rap battle’. Read more here
Madrid city council, together with the regional government and the Red Cross, has arranged a hotel for 120 homeless people with mild coronavirus symptoms. Health professionals are monitoring their health. Rooms are equipped with tablets so that patients can reach the support team of social workers, psychologist and doctors. The initiative is part of the … Continue reading Madrid – Hotel for homeless with mild symptoms
The seven biggest cities in Spain are asking the national government for permission to spend more resources on economic and social measures. In a joint declaration, the cities call for amendments of the Stability Act to allow for accumulated carryovers from previous fiscal years without limitations. They also ask for a relaxation of the criteria … Continue reading Madrid – Spanish cities call for budget flexibility
To support small shops and revive the local economy after the corona restrictions, the city of Zaragoza has launched the initiative ‘Volveremos si tú vuelves’, ‘We’ll be back when you are back’: on the online platform http://www.volveremossituvuelves.com, customers can buy vouchers from shops in their neighbourhood that are closed under the confinement and use them … Continue reading Zaragoza – ‘Back when you’re back’, say local shops
Madrid City Council has extended its campaign to prevent violence against women in the context of confinement due to the COVID-19 health crisis. The campaign ‘NoEstásSola’ (= you are not alone) is informing via tv, radio and digital media about where victims of violence can get support. You can read more here (in Spanish)
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Madrid is reaching out to those who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus pandemic to offer them free counseling via telephone. In this conversation, professionals will establish strategies for those affected to share their pain and will recommend that, through technology, they connect with their family and friends to remember the deceased person and … Continue reading Madrid – Support hotline for grieving
People in Madrid can search for shops and delivery services as well as for help from different organisations in their area by using a new digital district map. The initiative ‘Compartimos barrio’, ‘We share a neighbourhood’, has been launched by the city council to make trade and essential services visible during the COVID-19, operational in … Continue reading Madrid – Find services in your neighbourhood
The municipal libraries of Madrid donate 1,000 copies of literary works, including novels, poetry and plays, to the IFEMA hospital for patients admitted for coronavirus. The books will be available in the library of the hospital, which will manage the distribution to reach all patients after the appropriate health security measures. These copies will not … Continue reading Madrid – Thousand books for corona patients
The City Council launches #SiempreContigo, a service that provides recommendations to the older population to carry out controlled physical activity and check their condition during home confinement. The service is carried out by coaches who call the person to track their emotional and physical condition. Read more (in Spanish) here
Madrid has launched a full public transport process for dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. Measures range from signage and communication to social distancing and hygiene. The full document and annexes are available below.
The Madrid City Council has established public-private partnerships to provide families in need with prepaid cards to buy food and basic necessities in the corona crisis. CaixaBank, through its Social Action and in collaboration with Obra Social La Caixa, has made a grant of €200,000 available to the City Council to assist 2,000 families in … Continue reading Madrid – Prepaid food cards for families
Madrid is working with Caixabank to deliver prepaid food cards to more than 2,000 vulnerable families, to the tune of €200,000. Read more (in Spanish) here. The city is also distributing more than 7,000 meals to vulnerable people daily. Read more (in Spanish) here.
Madrid has launched an online platform ‘Conecta Juventud 2.0’ which now has almost 80,000 participants. The project has more than 40 activities available for young people to carry out from their homes under themes such as art, health, sports, personal care, solidarity, legal advice, science and new technologies. Read more (in Spanish) here. Madrid has … Continue reading Madrid – Fun from home
Madrid’s family support centers have drafted several guidelines for families to help them through the period of staying inside together. These range from ‘dealing with confinement with adolescents’ to care-giving to elderly family members. The guidelines are available for download (in Spanish) here.
Madrid has joined a campaign that helps older people and those in need to bring out their rubbish. The YoTeAyudoConLaBasura initiative comes from the Rey Juan Carlos University. The city is giving the initiative the maximum possible visibility through social networks. This project seeks to help older people and those who need it in the … Continue reading Madrid – Taking out your rubbish
Madrid is collaborating with the Food Bank, World Central Kitchen (WCK) and members of the Municipal Fire Department to distribute meals to 50 vulnerable families residing in homes of the alternative accommodation system of the Family Area. More information (in Spanish) here.
The city of Madrid has updated its summary of their measures in response to COVID-19: measures to cover fiscal and economic issues, social issues, mobility, supplies, and cleaning and waste. You can download the document here. The city has also produced a video to motivate its citizens.
Elderly people in Madrid who are isolated in confinement due to COVID-19 can call a free phone number and have a conversation with a volunteer. The project ‘Minutos en Compañía’ – ‘minutes in company’ – has been initiated by the Madrid City Council in collaboration with the organisation ‘Adopta un Abuelo’ – ‘Adopt a Grandparent’. … Continue reading Madrid – ‘Adopt a grandfather’
The healthcare personnel of Madrid Salud, an autonomous body dependent on the Madrid City Council, will be incorporated into the primary care services to carry out home surveillance of people with symptoms of coronavirus. Thus, around thirty health professionals, including doctors, nurses and psychologists, will provide their services from this week. Read more here (in … Continue reading Madrid – More health staff for home monitoring
Madrid has compiled a summary of the measures the city has taken in the coronavirus crisis. The comprehensive overview covers the areas civil protection, supply of essential goods, social emergency, cleaning and waste, mobility, as well as measures on the economy. You can download the document here
The City Council of Madrid provides a healthy meal service at home for 500 children in nursery schools from zero to three years. It is aimed at children who have scholarships and families with socioeconomic difficulties. Read more here (in Spanish)
The deputy mayor of Madrid, Begoña Villacís, announced on Tuesday that the city council has launched a campaign against gender violence with the name #NoEstásSola to give visibility to the suffering of women who live with their abuser 24 hours a day in the period of confinement by the coronavirus. The campaign seeks to remind … Continue reading Madrid – Keeping domestic violence visible
Madrid is working with public and private parking providers to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among health professionals. Parking providers near hospitals are making free space available to health care professionals so that they can park at a greater distance from each other and reduce the chance of transmitting the coronavirus on their way … Continue reading Madrid – Safe parking for health professionals
Madrid’s new online exercise channel includes games to play with children, aerobic training, challenges to exercise as a family, yoga and pilates, and more. The councilor delegate for Sport, Sofía Miranda, has stressed the importance of continuing to do sports at home to keep people’s immune systems strong. This is also being hosted on a … Continue reading Madrid – City offers Youtube exercises
The city council is using its existing portal for citizen participation to give people a space to propose new initiatives, and for associations to share what they are already doing to improve the quality of life in Madrid while maintaining the current situation of alarm. Read more here
Madrid City Council has started a new free bus route to transport health professionals and volunteers to a new temporary hospital. Read more here
Madrid City Council is promoting a campaign that calls for neighbourhood solidarity. Anyone who would like to offer their help to senior citizens in their neighbourhood need only print out a poster, fill it out and post it somewhere visible. Read more here
The Youth Department of Madrid City Council has welcomed more than 500 people in its first week of digital activities for young people. This includes activities as diverse as fitness workshops, talks on cosmetics and an online acoustic music event. Read more here
Plans for our next Eurocities events 2021 (all timings in CET). This list will be updated constantly – last changed: 28 May 2021 September June July
Madrid city council has suspended parking fees and closed down its bike sharing scheme. The offer of free parking had already been in operation in areas surrounding hospitals for a few days, in order to make access easier for staff and patients, but has now been extended throughout the city. Read more here
Madrid city council is offering 150 beds for homeless people who do not show symptoms of the virus. Meanwhile, homeless people who do show symptons can go to an emergency centre for asylum seekers, where they will receive adequate health care. Read more here
