He Tenerife Council reinforces its commitment to guided transport to improve the sustainable mobility on the Island. And it seems to be completely right, according to the conclusion of technicians, politicians responsible for management, teachers and researchers. Experts on the subject, in short, who agreed yesterday in a working day which had as its setting the Adán Martín de Santa Cruz Auditorium, which the urban and interurban railway systems are the best long-term solution for the island territories and, therefore, for the current traffic collapse in the roads of the island. The technical dayorganized by Metrotenerife, was inaugurated by the Minister of Mobility of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Eulalia García, who reinforced the idea of that already mentioned “commitment” of the island government to guided transport. García emphasized “the need for a change in citizens’ habits when traveling, as the tram brought with it in the Metropolitan Area.” She stated that “we will continue to work hard for mobility because it is a key factor for the socioeconomic and environmental progress of the Island.”
Pact between administrations
The inauguration was also carried out by the General Director of Transportation of the Government of the Canary Islands, Maria Fernandez, who highlighted the importance of “a pact between administrations that allows the development of projects in favor of sustainable mobility.” Fernández assured that “Gran Canaria and Tenerife have advanced train projects but twenty years from now, when that infrastructure exists, solutions must be provided to citizens.” He stressed that “you cannot rely on roads for this but rather on another type of mobility.” The general director valued the implementation of the transport bonus that originated in Canary Islands 48% increase in travelers, double that of the peninsular territory with eight million more compared to last year. He also emphasized the development of initiatives such as the Canary Resident Bonus, included among those that facilitate access to free housing in Tenerife. He appreciated that “if the appropriate policies are implemented, citizens respond.” Regarding investment, Fernández believes “it is the job of the Government of the Canary Islands to make the Government of Spain understand that it cannot make us lose financing because we have the right.” A “large investment, at first, but with a “much greater” return. The technical conference on Guided Transport in Island Territories then brought together international experts in sustainable mobility.
The voice of experience
The first presentation corresponded to the director of the Urban and Territorial Ecology Foundation, Salvador Rueda, who addressed the role of public transportation in the era of mobility as a service. Rueda is the great architect of the change experienced by Barcelona in the mobility. He focused his talk on La Laguna, a city that he knows well, as he advises Aguere on developing a new model of sustainable development that includes the expansion of pedestrianization or the expansion of his idea of superblocks in favor of a more livable municipality and “for the people”. It was the focus of his talk that he based on “the imperative need to fight climate change” through coordinated actions based on respect for the environment. His bets: more trees instead of cars and turning the pedestrian into a citizen without danger from traffic. He pointed out La Laguna as “the most accessible municipality on the Island” and listed TF-5, TF-2 or TF-13, in addition to Los Rodeos Airport. But all these ways “he does not enjoy them, but suffers them.” His solution involves the Northern train, which “should already be working” because “it does not create suburbs but transport nodes” and “better cities.” He also sees it as key to connecting the large tourist areas of the north and south. Decidedly commit to Bus-Vao lanes.
Practical examples
María Concepción Ortega, director of Corporate Business Development of the specialized company Idom Consulting, Engineering and Architecture, participated with her exhibition Trams, world experience. Beyond a transportation system. Then, Pablo Ramos, Land Transportation Account Director at Ineco – a company that offers comprehensive and innovative solutions in the phases of transportation development, in all stages of a project – spoke about the challenges of Greenfield railway projects; that is, those who start from scratch. Subsequently, Pau Cavaller, Infrastructure Technician at Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca, reviewed 150 years of railways in Mallorca. Historical conditions and future perspectives. The event ended with the round table between the speakers who delved into the idea of the need to face railway projects in the island territories.
Eulalia García: “We had to take steps towards another model”
“An initiative to be able to share experiences and knowledge that will surely help improve our perception and training not only in the field of guided transportation but also in a key issue such as the achievement of sustainable mobility.” This is the summary given by the insular Minister of Mobility, Eulalia García, of the Technical Conference on guided transport in insular territories held this Monday in the Auditorium. She emphasizes that “we live in crucial moments in which it is necessary to make decisions that will influence not only our daily lives but also future generations.” Hence, she insists, “it is essential to take the necessary steps to design a new way of moving.”
García assures that “we will take good note” of the experiences on the development of sustainable transport and the implementation of urban and interurban railway systems in island mobility. The solution to this, he values, “does not go exclusively through the construction and improvement of existing road infrastructure” but “through a change in habits in which the use of private vehicles is replaced by public transport.” He considers that “it will be the only way to achieve sustainable mobility, which is the great objective set.” An objective for which, he points out, “we are already implementing numerous measures to which we must add the North and South railway projects and, of course, the extension of the tram lines.” He summarizes. “Our experience in the case of guided transport in Tenerife could not be more positive.” He illustrates this with data such as that 39.9% of tram users have a car and of them, 86.6% claim to use it less. The tram, he adds, “avoids about three million car trips a year.” Eulalia García concludes: «Metrotenerife transported 16 million passengers between January and September of this year. | JDM
