Plaza del Charco and its surroundings or streets such as Avenida de Venezuela, in Puerto de la Cruz, have become an obstacle course in which it is necessary to avoid tables, chairs and all kinds of street furniture to be able to walk or give a walk.
If this reality is a nuisance for any pedestrian, it is further aggravated for the elderly, for those who travel in wheelchairs, with baby carriages or have a mobility or functional diversity problem, as they are prevented from traveling on some sidewalks. or access stores because these elements cover the guide bands, essential for people with visual difficulties to move easily and without fear of tripping.
The terraces have invaded the streets of the town, despite the fact that there is an ordinance that regulates them approved by the Plenary, “but that is not complied with, both by some businessmen and by the Administration, which does not control or sanction”, complain the affected.
POSTERS
The same happens with signs and exhibitors of great weight and wheels that are in the middle of the public thoroughfare and pose a danger.
The occupation of public roads is regulated in Ministerial Order 851/2021, of July 23, which develops the technical document of basic conditions of accessibility and non-discrimination for access and use of urbanized public spaces, and It is above any ordinance. It even has a single repeal provision that expressly says that all orders of a lower rank that contradict it are annulled.
In accordance with the articles of this norm, the city not only infringes what is related to the terraces, but also most of what is related to the lowering of the sidewalks, the paving, the public benches, the pedestrian itinerary, the longitudinal guide strips and the elements of urban furniture and linked to the commercial activity.
DIFFICULTIES
The associations Queremos Movernos and Por un Puerto de la Cruz Accessible and Diverse fight for a fair use of public space and for this reason they defend that accessibility in Puerto de la Cruz be oriented in favor of people with disabilities, who want to live in the city and are faced daily with poorly placed terraces, which break the continuity of the façade line and merchandise displays in the middle of the street. “Puerto de la Cruz must value the actions that it has been carrying out historically, turn around and think that not only people with disabilities are the ones who need accessibility, but also the elderly, the sick, those who one day they have sprained or broken themselves and are in a cast, crutches or strollers. Ending these types of obstacles is not only necessary, but it is good for everyone,” says Ana Mengíbar, president of Queremos Moversos.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospitality sector was authorized to expand the perimeter of the terraces to comply with the capacity restrictions, since it was not possible to make full use of the interior spaces and thus mitigate the economic consequences derived from the situation.
But once the health alert ended, the regulatory use has not been recovered again and it is still almost impossible for passers-by not to invade the space of the diners of bars and restaurants, something uncomfortable when it comes to enjoying a relaxed moment. with family or friends. For many residents, it is also an obstacle that they must face on a daily basis in order to gain access to their homes or keep their sidewalks clean.
DELIMITATION
“By having the street on a single platform, the distance from façade to façade is computed and they tell you that they are not occupying everything, but that is not true. The terraces must comply with what the aforementioned ministerial order says, which is clear and, in addition, all must have a perfectly delimited perimeter and marked with rigid material, because at a specific moment, a blind person who gets confused, an elderly person or a A child who slips out of the pram must have a place to stop”, explains Mengíbar. All this, he insists, does not exist in Puerto de la Cruz. There are points, such as the intersection of Calle Blanco, where the tables and chairs of several establishments overlap, which prevent two wheelchairs from passing simultaneously.
It is not the first time they have denounced it. They have already done so on several occasions, including in writing. “We have met on various occasions with the City Council and the issue of the terraces has always come up. We have made public complaints and claims, not only in this City Hall, but also in others on the Island, ”he laments.
For an Accessible and Diverse Puerto de la Cruz, he has submitted three letters to the City Council in this mandate: the first of them in September 2022, before making the decision to glue the tables and chairs to the facades, warning that it was prohibited to do so. It was followed by one in March of this year and the last one, in April.
Tired of the lack of concrete actions to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are respected, both associations went this week to the deputy of the Common, Rafael Yanes, to convey the situation to him and demand that he take action on the matter.
JUSTICE
“We cannot allow a group to be discriminated against in such a blatant way and, above all, constantly notifying one and the other,” they warn, willing to go to court in their case.
They clarify that “they do not want any privilege, but respect for the laws that are in force, because people with disabilities also have their rights.”
They clarify that they are not against terraces, quite the contrary. “The most comfortable thing for a person with a disability is to go to a terrace, because he can access it directly. Therefore, we want terraces, but orderly and for everyone, not just for a few”, both insist.
