The Cabildo de Tenerife debates a similar motion this Friday with the threat of Sí Podemos to break the government pact
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 23 (EUROPE PRESS) –
The plenary session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands approved this Wednesday, with the rejection of Yes We Can, a Proposal Not of Law (PNL) of the Mixed Group in which it requests the inclusion of the trains of Tenerife and Gran Canaria in the Railway Network of General Interest as a preliminary step to obtain financing funds.
Ricardo Fernández (Cs) has said that the trains will contribute to achieving sustainable transport on the islands and improving the mobility of citizens, offering an alternative to the private vehicle, stressing that in recent years a lot of money has been invested in planning projects by the State and the councils.
He has commented that if he were a councilor or counselor he would also “vote yes” to this proposal, alluding to similar proposals that are debated in the councils.
Luz Reverón (PP) has defended the “coherence” of her group against others who prioritize their “armchairs”, criticizing the “change of criteria” of the Government of the Canary Islands to maintain the government pacts with the “communists” of Sí Podemos in the Executive and the Cabildo de Tenerife, where Cs came to withdraw a motion.
For this reason, he has asked all the political forces to support a similar initiative that his party will present at the Cabildo next Friday.
Manuel Marrero, spokesman for Yes We Can, has commented that both councils have not yet finished drawing up their mobility plans, so he does not understand why they want to walk “towards the train” without yet having a diagnosis.
He has commented that there are “possible alternatives” such as electric buses, company mobility plans or the use of new technologies and in the specific case of Tenerife, he supports the BUS VAO lanes in front of the train, which has “social response”.
Marrero has unsuccessfully defended an amendment in which he asked to wait for the councils to finalize their mobility plans.
Jesús Ramos (ASG) has commented that his group is in favor of trains because they improve sustainability and quality of life for citizens and are a “powerful alternative” to the private vehicle, while asking for “consensus” with the councils and the municipalities.
Carmen Hernández (NC) has commented that her party has always been in favor of the development of trains because they help mobility and “decarbonisation”, and although mobility plans are “essential”, everything indicates that we must bet on the comprehensive public transportation with trains, buses and taxis.
NC SAYS VAO BUS LANE “IS A PATCH”
“The BUS VAO lane is a patch,” he indicated, stressing that the islands’ mobile fleet is “unsustainable” and the only solution is “through trains.”
Lucas Bravo de Laguna (CC-PNC) has said that it is “inconceivable” that in the Canary Islands there is no agreement to promote the trains and in the specific case of Gran Canaria “it is stopped” and in the midst of the “inaction” of the regional government , which had requested that the projects receive European funds. “What happened?” he wondered.
In addition, he does not understand how Podemos supports the train in Gran Canaria and does not do so in Tenerife, and believes that “it is not fair” that if the project is blocked in Tenerife it should also be blocked in Gran Canaria. “The government is failing miserably,” she commented.
Jorge González, from the Socialist Group, has said that mobility “is one of the main problems” of the islands and the trains are a good alternative and are sustainable, although he has made it clear that the jurisdiction lies with the councils although it will be the community autonomous the one that requests the inclusion of the trains in the network of general interest.