A nearly €200,000 island plan has allowed for the renovation of 46 canopies at bus stops located across 17 of the 31 municipalities in Tenerife. The rehabilitation and improvement of the infrastructures took place over five months from the beginning of the supply and installation works awarded to the company Servicios y Mantenimiento Mabraser SL. The interventions were carried out in 17 municipalities, with La Laguna having the highest number of installations, totaling thirteen, followed by Tacoronte and Granadilla de Abona with five canopies each. Three were installed in Arona and Puerto de la Cruz; two in Buenavista del Norte, Candelaria, Guía de Isora, La Orotava, and Tegueste. Finally, one was installed in Adeje, Arafo, El Tanque, La Victoria, Los Silos, San Juan de la Rambla, and Santa Úrsula. Eulalia García, the Mobility Councillor of Tenerife’s Island Council, explains that these actions are part of those being carried out to advance the improvement of the infrastructure related to the area. She states that “this is a necessary measure to guarantee and make effective, moreover, the right to equal opportunities for people.” Overall, with special emphasis on those with disabilities.
Accessibility
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The renewal includes the network of stops for the Island’s transportation systems located on the roads managed by the Council. The initiative prioritises improving accessibility for those with a high number of users and includes facilitating both descending and ascending. The installation work for the canopies also included benches and ischiatic support (anatomical) for the passengers. In some stops, new bins and vertical signs for the bus were also added. At this time, 47 of these have been installed, while three more remain in storage pending the definition of a future location. In addition to these actions, recent improvements have been made, such as those to improve accessibility at the stop at the Northern Hospital located in the municipality of Icod de los Vinos.
Request and Example
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The renovation of canopies is a recurring request from public transport users on the Island. A very graphic example is enough to illustrate the point, as was reported last December by residents of the municipality of Tegueste. A bus stop on the general road of El Portezuelo became the focus of an original struggle for the area’s residents. With no shoulder, no canopy, no more protection than the surrounding bushes… and no benches. Public transport users have been placing their own chairs for several years so everyone can at least wait for the bus seated. The problem is that they don’t last long because some unscrupulous individuals take them. These residents of Tegueste, like many other people in Tenerife, need decent services and initiatives such as canopy renewal are heading in the right direction.
