By Mónica Ledesma/Luis Rabionet.| The residents of the small villages and settlements in the Anaga Rural Park highlighted in the DIARIO DE AVISOS today the absence of adequate monitoring by law enforcement and civil guards to manage the large influx of tourists and visitors, leading to traffic mayhem on the TF-12, the key route in the northeast of the Island, serving the quaint settlements surrounding the Anaga massif such as Taganana, Afur, and Taborno.
“Today, the queue stretched all the way to Las Mercedes, reaching the Las Canteras junction and, on the alternative road, almost to the Las Mercedes school,” locals reported. For the inhabitants of these areas, the TF-12 is their sole connection to the rest of the Island.
Residents affected by this issue are calling for stricter monitoring of the abundance of vehicles congesting the surroundings of Cruz del Carmen, where vehicles are frequently parked on shoulders and under canopies, as depicted in the accompanying video.
Furthermore, the excessive presence of cars, campers, and tourist coaches heading towards Cruz del Carmen not only leads to traffic gridlocks but also exacerbates the lack of parking facilities for the locals, who are predominantly elderly.
Consequently, for over three years, they have been urging both the municipal authorities of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristóbal de La Laguna, which border their region, and the Cabildo for a better mobility strategy and increased investment in infrastructure.
Residents Consider Blockading Roads
Another pressing concern for Anaga residents is the inadequate frequency of public transport services linking them with central Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This situation arises primarily due to the surge in visitors to the Rural Park, leaving locals stranded when buses are full.
“If this situation persists unresolved, residents will resort to road closures, both via Mercedes and San Andrés, in protest,” they revealed to the newspaper last Monday. Consequently, inhabitants of Taborno, Roque Negro, and Afur are clamoring for “additional reinforcement” in the Titsa bus service, particularly for lines 076 and 077.
