The Cabildo of Tenerife intends to expand the mobility agreement with Ashotel to the northern region of Tenerife, building upon a pilot scheme currently underway in the south of the island that facilitates collective transport for workers, aimed at addressing the congestion issues facing the island.
This announcement was emphasised by the island’s president, Rosa Dávila, just prior to the commencement of the fifth mobility meeting on Tenerife, which brought together representatives from the Canary Islands Government alongside fifty business delegates and other relevant stakeholders.
Dávila underscored the “challenge” associated with traffic on the island of Tenerife and the necessity of establishing sustainable mobility. In this regard, she detailed that on Tuesday, the institution would present 70 measures implemented to tackle this problem to various agents.
Among the measures outlined, the president highlighted the commitment to public transport, specifically by bus, where its complimentary use across the islands “has enabled more than 23 million journeys to be taken off the roads over the past year.”
In the pursuit of “sustainable mobility” on the island, it remains “crucial,” the president continued, to “reduce the number of vehicles on the roads.” Consequently, in collaboration with the Government of the Canary Islands, they are devising strategies to minimise travel, such as providing medical services at the North and South Hospitals.
Moreover, she mentioned a forthcoming project aimed at removing heavier and slower vehicles from the roads during peak hours. This will complement the agreements in place with various business confederations and employers, although specific details regarding this latest initiative are yet to be disclosed.
Concerning the Ashotel initiative, a pilot project for collective transport aimed at workers in the south of Tenerife, she remarked that the programme “has been a resounding success,” noting that “employees who previously drove to hotels in private vehicles are now utilising collective transport,” effectively removing “thousands of vehicles” from circulation each day.
In conclusion, the president has stressed the importance of “having 21st century infrastructure” on Tenerife, pointing out that “the island has lagged behind in road infrastructure investments for many years.” She praised the “exemplary coordination” that now exists with the Canarian Government in this endeavour.
Dávila has articulated the island’s aim to “achieve a significant agreement” for sustainable mobility in the coming semester, in which “everyone,” including public sectors, private entities, employers, and unions, plays a role.