Santa Cruz de Tenerife 9 Apr. (Press Europa) –
Drago Verdes Canarias will put forward a motion this Wednesday before the plenary session of the City Council of La Laguna to restrict access for private vehicles used for tourism to the Anaga Rural Park, while also prioritising entry for local residents due to the growing tourist pressure in the area and complaints from the community.
Besides these two measures, the group has also suggested the initiation of a study featuring quantifiable metrics to facilitate informed decision-making, along with drafting a municipal ordinance for regulating public transport in Anaga, or the establishment of a working group, as indicated in a statement from the party.
Carmen Peña, councillor of Drago Verdes Canarias, recalled that a very similar initiative was rejected over a year ago. “The parties that have governed and continue to govern the Canary Islands claim to advocate for the protection of our natural spaces, yet when it comes to implementing bold measures, they hesitate.”
“If the pressure on the environment is a result of tourist activity, the measures should target tourists; we are not opposed to them but in favour of regulations that safeguard these natural spaces for the benefit of the local populace,” stated the councillor.
Peña added that the initiative arises from feedback from locals “who cannot take the bus home due to it being overcrowded with tourist groups,” as well as “pictures of rental cars parked illegally, even on the park premises.”
“As Drago Verdes Canarias, we will not turn a blind eye as long as these issues persist,” the councillor asserted.
Regarding the motion
The motion from Drago Verdes Canarias proposes, firstly, to promote a continuous and thorough study of the individuals visiting and using the park, employing quantifiable and clearly defined metrics to enable the implementation of specific measures, distinctly categorising between local inhabitants, residents, and tourists.
Additionally, it will call on the appropriate Canary Public Administrations to recognise the inherent differences between tourists and local residents, and to implement measures that prioritise access for residents within the scientifically and measurably defined limits set for conservation.
The initiative requests that the municipal government establishes the necessary mechanisms and infrastructure to restrict access to the Anaga Rural Park from the municipality by private tourist vehicles, determining a maximum daily quota that complies with the park’s conservation requirements.
Furthermore, temporarily, and until such mechanisms and infrastructure are fully operational, there would be a limitation on the circulation of private vehicles used for tourism during weekends, concurrently imposing restrictions on their parking throughout the week.
The group also urges the Government of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo de Tenerife, and the City Council of La Laguna to enhance the use of public transport within the park.
Additionally, a municipal ordinance is requested to regulate public transport in Anaga, instituting restrictions and limitations on usage by tourism companies.
Fifth, the Cabildo de Tenerife and the Canary Islands government are urged to impose specific restrictions on tourism companies using public transport with their clientele, developing actions to limit and penalise fraudulent use of public transport by these companies.
Lastly, the motion proposes the establishment of a working group to channel contributions from the City Council of La Laguna towards the next governance plan for the use and management of the Anaga Rural Park.
This group should convene at the Citizen Centres of Anaga and must include open participation from local residents, the University of La Laguna, Environmental Protection Authorities, and political groups represented in the City Council of La Laguna.
