Under the slogan Shared Public Space, the Santa Cruz City Council marked Car-Free Day yesterday, an occasion that celebrates the conclusion of European Mobility Week. The designated site was Anaga Avenue, which was closed to vehicular traffic from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to facilitate various activities and workshops suitable for all ages, including the establishment of a skating rink and a pump track (a small course for bicycles or skateboards) aimed at promoting sustainable urban transport.
Numerous individuals arrived with their bicycles and scooters to partake in an enjoyable and eco-friendly Sunday, encouraging behavioural changes in favour of active mobility and other environmentally friendly and intelligent transport options for urban areas. Thus, the selected venue was Avenida Francisco La Roche, known as Avenida de Anaga, which is set to soon undergo transformations that will make it the first fully sustainable street in the Canary Islands.
Upcoming works set to be tendered will involve the complete renovation of the pavement, stretching from the Palmetum to the former Jet-Foil station, alongside the development of a dedicated lane for bicycles and personal mobility devices, backed by an investment exceeding €5.3 million, of which €1.5 million is sourced from the European Next Generation funds.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez emphasised the significance of the event, which aims to “create a healthier city, minimising smoke and noise, and fostering ecological awareness.”
