David Hernández announces that the measures proposed in this stage of development of the SUMP will mark “a before and after in the mobility of the municipality”, since the document will cease to be a theoretical framework and will begin to have a practical application. With an investment of 62,000 euros and a development period that will end next November, this commission foresees designing the bicycle mobility lanes in the town, both on the coast and in the central area, as well as the communication branches between La Vera, Calle Nueva, San Antonio and the town, and El Botánico and the urban center .
Hernández acknowledges that they have proposals from rental companies in public spaces for bicycles and electric scooters: “A service that, if it is viable, we would also like to start up.” The exact development of the bike lanes, which will have separate sections and others integrated into the road, with specific signage, has not yet been defined.
This commission also envisages improving safety and school mobility in the surroundings of three educational centers (CEIP San Antonio, Punta Brava and Tomás Iriarte); “Tactical urban planning” actions to carry out street pedestrianization tests; improving the management of municipal car parks; a new distribution of loading and unloading areas, “in a more concentrated and less dispersed way”; measures to improve universal accessibility, and the implementation of “a low emissions zone, in the style of Madrid Central”.
The municipality has proposals for rental companies in public spaces for bicycles and electric scooters
Roads, Channels and Ports engineer Fernando Davara, in charge of the development of these proposals, highlighted that many SUMPs have remained as “theoretical documents due to a lack of resources and specificity” that in the tourist city will be corrected with this first action plan, “which will allow establishing priority measures and evaluating costs and benefits.”
The Public Works technical engineer specializing in transport, Irene Caro, added that the “cycling mobility” initiative provides functional itineraries, as a complement to public transport, and also for leisure, in the coastal area. Regarding the environment of the educational centers, he pointed out that the idea is create “more pleasant and safe environments, with wider sidewalks, as well as protected itineraries so that students can get to class safely ». The sociologist Mesoramis Luis will be in charge of completing the citizen participation process that the PSOE-ACP government included as an indispensable requirement. Issues such as gender impact will also be addressed.
The intention of the local government is to start executing the actions that “do not require a project or large investment” before the end of the year. In 2022, the technical projects will be commissioned and their execution will begin. David Hernández’s commitment is that “at least a part” of the lanes for bikes and scooters “are up and running before the end of the term.”
Results as of November
The Portuense City Council hopes to have the study and the projects commissioned in November, so that some actions can begin to be developed before the end of 2021. In 2022 the projects considered priority for the Government will be drawn up and begin to execute local (PSOE-ACP), including the network of lanes for bikes and scooters.
