Alleviating the historical complexity and diminishing both noise and environmental pollution generated by excessive vehicular traffic is among the priorities of the Garachico government coalition (CC-PSOE). The town experiences a significant influx of tourists, particularly over weekends and during summer, compelling many individuals to share space with vehicles entering the area, where the pavements are quite narrow, creating hazardous conditions. To ensure the safety of both residents and guests while simultaneously safeguarding the cultural and architectural legacy of the historical centre, which was designated as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) in 1994, the administration has opted to restrict vehicular access to this zone on weekends, aside from residents.
This measure, being temporary in nature, acts as a “test run” that will facilitate the evaluation of future initiatives regarding proposed pedestrianisation. It was initiated in mid-August and is set to continue until December, at which point the local government intends to engage with the hotel, commercial, and restaurant sectors to gather their perspectives on the experience and subsequently make informed decisions moving forward.
“Garachico must pursue the pedestrianisation of certain streets, as is being done in all historical centres. While there are detractors who are staunchly opposed, as has been observed in other areas of the Island, such initiatives ultimately yield positive results for everyone, including residents and shopkeepers, even if the benefits are not immediately apparent,” states the mayor, José Heriberto González (CC). Nevertheless, he emphasises that “no final decisions will be reached prior to consulting the community. We will engage with residents on a street-by-street basis to understand their reception of the measure, given that some areas have more businesses than others.”
PARKING
One of the benefits of implementing this pilot project is the availability of the former football field as a park and ride facility, accommodating approximately 400 vehicles. The site, situated on Avenida Marítima, has been permanently rendered unusable for sports due to maritime storms, the most recent occurring in 2018, which damaged the artificial grass and destroyed the changing rooms, leading to considerable expenses for the public purse.
Simultaneously, the council is in discussions to unlock other private land, albeit smaller in size, to offer more alternatives for pedestrian traffic. “The aim is to assess how the historical centre operates with fewer cars,” insists the mayor. However, he clarifies that “we are committed to making changes; the journey towards a more sustainable Garachico has commenced and will persist.”
