The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council has coordinated a special security and traffic device in the surroundings of the different cemeteries of the municipality to facilitate the celebration of the All Saints festival, an operation that will start next Friday, and will also take into account the current situation derived from the health crisis of COVID-19. Although the measures articulated by the area of Citizen and Road Safety, led by councilor Evelyn Alonso, have focused on issues of regulation of road traffic in the surroundings of the Santa Lastenia cemetery, the adoption of preventive recommendations will also be verified and facilitated sanitary.
Regarding traffic, traffic control in Santa Lastenia will be carried out from 08:00 to 18:00 from next Friday, October 29 until Monday, November 1. In principle, the main roads affected will be regulated either by the Capital Local Police or the Civil Guard on the roads of their competence. Specifically, the so-called (TF-29) that runs between the North (TF-5) and South (TF-1) highways in front of Santa Lastenia will have two regulation points. The agents will intervene as soon as traffic congestion is detected, preventing the turn or access from both routes, diverting it to other routes.
In any case, the councilor for Citizen and Road Safety in Santa Cruz, has insisted that “we always recommend the use of public transport to move around the municipality, but in the face of such popular celebrations that congregate thousands of people in our cemeteries, it is more necessary that we avoid the use of private vehicles ”. The mayor pointed out that the objective is to avoid possible traffic jams and even the overcrowding of the nearby parking areas.
The road safety plan provides for possible contingencies such as the high traffic density on the (TF-29) coming from the North highway (TF-5), the agents will be able to cancel said exit and redirect the vehicles in the direction of Santa Cruz, allowing only the passage to those of greater tonnage. As alternative itineraries, those who are diverted from the (TF-5) are proposed to pass through the lower area of Somosierra; also turning on arrival at the entrance of the capital through the authorized routes or using the exit towards Chamberí.
On the roads surrounding the Santa Lastenia cemetery, with the aim of safeguarding the passage of public transport vehicles, emergency services and auxiliary services of the aforementioned cemetery, parking is prohibited except in previously marked places. As on previous occasions, a free transport service will be set up to transport visitors inside Santa Lastenia.
In addition to the care services themselves dependent on the cemeteries, as a preventive measure there will be endowments from the group of Civil Protection volunteers who will collaborate with the public and the rest of the emergency resources, they will also have the personnel and the means to provide assistance basic sanitary in the largest cemetery in the capital.
It should be remembered that in order to stagger visits and avoid possible crowds, the hours of municipal cemeteries will be from 08:00 to 18:00 on October 29, 30 and 31, as well as on November 1. For those who wish to visit these facilities on other dates, remember that the usual opening hours are between 08:30 and 16:30. This year, due to the works being carried out inside, the San Rafael and San Roque cemetery will not be opened.
Finally, it should be pointed out that access to cemeteries will be controlled in order to respect the maximum permitted capacity and compliance with preventive regulations regarding interpersonal safety distance; mandatory use of a mask; the prohibition of smoking inside; or the use of hydroalcoholic gels available to the public.
