“Economic Impact of Pedestrianisation in Historic Urban Centre, the Valdemoro Case – Study (Spain)”

Abstract

Building activities in urban centres involving pedestrianisation are never bereft of controversy. In this paper we shall look at the methodology applied by the Authors in the Valdemoro case (a town of around 60,000 inhabitants located within the metropolitan area of Madrid) in order to evaluate the economic impact on the local area of the pedestrianisation programme which has been planned and is currently being carried out in stages as part of the Sustainable Mobility Plan to which the town adheres.•Firstly, a benchmarking was undertaken in which different experiences of pedestrianisation were assessed, and through the application of a Delphi method results analysis, management and expert groups were able to decipher the responses.•Secondly, a specific market study was undertaken in the Valdemoro area through contacts with local trading associations, people from the business world to quantify the specific impact which this type of construction might have. Contacts were made with commercial representatives in the town: trade associations and guilds, business centres, the local Chamber of Commerce, The Central Traders’ Association, and which are others as yet unspecified. Taking into account what has been mentioned beforehand and the benchmarking results, an assessment is made using a model which allows us to:∘Perform recommendations on which businesses to develop.∘Evaluate the impact on the area as a whole.∘Detect the most widely affected businesses.∘To fix the conditions to guarantee success from the economic viewpoint of the pedestrianisation programme.