The Granadilla de Abona City Council has officially sanctioned the initiative for low emissions (ZBE) zones. This endeavour aims to enhance air quality, diminish pollution, and create more sustainable and accessible urban environments for pedestrians. “The project has received approval for its execution, but we now need to draft a technical plan to set up the necessary facilities and subsequently develop a digital system to manage the parking area zoning,” stated the Councilor for Public Services and Ecological Transition, Marcos Antonio Rodríguez Santana. He acknowledged, however, that the implementation of this measure will be a complicated and lengthy process, which “we are already undertaking to materialise,” as the regulations require its implementation before 2023.
This initiative falls under Law 7/2021 concerning Climate Change and Energy Transition, which mandates that Spanish municipalities with populations exceeding 50,000 establish a ZBE as part of their commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The delay in the enforcement of these regulations is not unique to Granadilla de Abona. In 2022, the Ombudsman highlighted the holdups in the rollout of the ZBE across various Spanish municipalities, labelling the situation as “unjustified.” In this context, he sought information from 18 municipalities, including Arona and Granadilla.
Rodríguez Santana emphasised that this measure is not solely a legal obligation but also serves to benefit the community: “Beyond avoiding potential penalties imposed by Europe, our goal is to reclaim urban areas for pedestrian use.”
Low emissions zones will regulate vehicle access according to their environmental ratings, prioritising those with lower pollutant emissions. Conversely, zero emissions (ZCE) zones will be designated solely for pedestrian movement, restricting vehicle traffic.
Zoning
The plan further includes the establishment of Residential Priority Areas (APR), where traffic and parking will be limited for non-residents in order to maintain the quality of life within neighbourhoods. This will be complemented by the Environmental Pray (Regulatory Ordering Ordinance), a regulated parking system with varied rates based on the environmental impact of the vehicle, penalising the most polluting ones.
In terms of parking management, two distinct zones will be created: green areas for authorised residents, located within the interior streets of the neighbourhoods, and blue areas designed to promote vehicle turnover, allowing parking for any user.
A critical aspect of the plan is the intervention in the two main coastal hubs: the Médano and the coats. The Médano will transform into a ZCE spanning 10.7 km², with the gradual pedestrianisation of streets like Evaristo Gómez González and José Galván Bello, including Avda. De France and Tenerife Street within the regulated parking area. In the coats, the plan proposes the pedestrianisation of the promenade and the conversion of the area into a residential priority zone.
Prior environmental assessments identified traffic, suspended dust, and certain industrial emissions as key pollution sources within the municipality.
Rodríguez Santana underscored that this initiative carries not only environmental significance but also commercial and social implications: “We will foster more sustainable and appealing environments and will also invigorate open commercial spaces.”
Under the new regulations, taxis and designated vehicles, as well as public and private security services, will have unrestricted access to the ZBE “without limitations or the need for prior procedures.” Furthermore, individuals with reduced mobility (PMR), bicycles, and personal mobility devices (electric scooters) will also be permitted to move freely within these zones.
However, certain groups must register to gain access. Owners of parking spaces, local business operators, and hoteliers will be required to complete a preliminary registration process to obtain permission. Loading and unloading activities will be time-limited to 30 minutes, with stricter regulations coming into effect in June 2027, when vehicles lacking an environmental badge will be prohibited from entering.
The establishment of the ZBE will also involve traffic management and parking control measures. Vehicle restrictions will hinge on various environmental labels, barring access to the most polluting vehicles (category A, those with number plates issued before 2006).
Designated parking lots
The City Council will thus implement regulated parking areas in San Isidro, responding to the requests from local entrepreneurs. The management of these areas will be overseen by the Sermugran company. Additionally, deterrent parking lots (situated at the edges to lessen central traffic) will be introduced on Tenerife Street (El Médano), C/Brazil (El Médano), and adjacent to the SIEC (San Isidro).
To enhance security and regulate access, surveillance cameras and automatic identification systems will be installed. The deployment of 12 enrolment reading cameras in the Médano and 7 in the coats is anticipated. The project has received approval from the Local Government Board, with a budget nearing one and a half million euros for “supplies, installation, and commissioning.” It is now moving into the technical development and planning stage, awaiting the approval of a municipal ordinance.
