Madrid advances housing-density plan and integrated bike-share scheme

Madrid's city council, led by mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida, is finalising a Municipal Strategic Plan (PEM) that would allow greater residential density across the city to address its housing shortage. The plan is paired with a proposal to fold the BiciMad bike-share scheme into the national unified transport pass, mirroring efforts elsewhere to integrate cycling into broader public transit ticketing.

The plan has drawn scrutiny from opposition parties: Vox has pressed the mayor on a pledge to build 27,000 units of public housing, while PSOE has questioned whether elements of the plan might inadvertently encourage the conversion of homes into short-term tourist lets. The debate captures a tension common to many growing cities — building enough housing while managing the side effects of short-term rentals.