The Cabildo, through Metrotenerife, has adapted the interior of the trams with a new layout that will increase the space and the number of seats for individuals with limited mobility. Mobility councillor, Eulalia García, and the company’s manager, Pedro Ribeiro, introduced the first vehicle with the new accessible seating adaptation. The event was also attended by Sinpromi’s CEO, Adal García; Ana Mengíbar and Dévora Rodríguez, president of Queremos Movernos and vice president of the Territorial Council of ONCE in Canarias, respectively.
Eulalia García highlighted the renewed commitment to accessibility and valued “the adaptations made to the interior of the units with the aim of expanding the accessible places so that individuals with limited mobility can travel and move more comfortably and safely”.
The modifications have involved the removal of seats in the central modules with double doors, which will allow for more space, thus facilitating the movements of users in wheelchairs or, for example, those with baby strollers. They will now have more space to position themselves in the tram carriages.
Additionally, the first seats in the cabin areas (ends of the trams) are reserved for the preferential use of individuals with limited mobility. For this purpose, signage and posters are placed announcing this preference both at the access doors and around the seats.
The trams belong to the Citadis 302 range from Alstom, a low-floor model that allows the user to move with complete autonomy across its five modules. The same applies at the stops and ticket vending machines, which have the necessary measures to offer the highest degree of accessibility to their clients. One step further for the Tenerife tram to be a transportation means for all and a benchmark in inclusive mobility in the rail sector.
Rosa Davila stated on Wednesday that the insular Minister of Mobility, Eulalia García, is “focused” on the negotiations to try to resolve the strike scheduled for tomorrow on the tram. She added that they are seeking a “safe alternative” to silica dust – the workers’ main complaint due to it being a carcinogenic product – but she made it clear that this system is used all over the world. If it is changed “it has to be safe for employees and users given the slopes on the route”. After two meetings, today there is another key meeting with the Board of Directors at the request of the workers who maintain the call. | JDM
