Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 30 Mar. (Europa Press) –
Residents of the Masca Barranco, located in Buenavista del Norte (Tenerife), are preparing a document outlining their requests to the Public Administrations, particularly directed towards the City Council and the Cabildo. In this document, they will seek solutions for a hamlet that, they claim, experiences daily challenges related to traffic congestion and insecurity due to insufficient infrastructure, while it increasingly resembles a “theme park” akin to “Spanish Machu Picchu”.
In an interview with Europa Press, the president of the Neighbours Association of the Masca Barranco, Jorge Javier Díaz, summarises the citizens’ primary grievances as they struggle with the pressures of tourism and a “lack of order” on their roads and infrastructure. They also highlight deficiencies in police presence, parking amenities, and an adequate signage plan.
Additionally, regarding the insufficient number of officers to enforce regulations, particularly around visitors parking in prohibited spaces, Díaz underscores the insecurity felt by residents, stating: “Theft occurs at the viewpoints day in and day out. We know the Civil Guard is doing commendable work despite limited resources, but what we truly need is a police presence,” he asserts.
The neighbourhood representative further discusses the state of the road that traverses the area, which was constructed “by the residents themselves” between the 1960s and 1980s and was designed to accommodate just one vehicle. He recounts the need for more housing, improvements to the road surface, and even the expansion of the roadway.
“Mobile applications are of no use, coloured traffic lights are not effective, and luminous warnings are merely aids that fail to resolve the issue. Many of the problems could be alleviated with more police presence and a tow truck,” cautions the president, who insists that while police can issue fines for improperly parked vehicles, “there is no tow truck available to remove them,” leaving residents to navigate the situation as best they can.
Based on data from the president, there are approximately 50 legal parking spaces in the area, a challenge that is exacerbated by the hamlet’s lack of a proper signage plan. “Tourists do not see signage or parking information upon entering a village,” he illustrates.
Tourist Access Fee to the Ravine
The Cabildo de Tenerife introduced a non-resident fee for regulated access to the Masca ravine starting in the summer of 2024. According to the locals, this decision was made without express consent from residents, many of whom own property in the area: “The ravine channel is public (…). Yet, the access route, where that old pathway passes, crosses through numerous private properties,” they explain.
In this regard, they are awaiting another meeting with the town hall to discuss the matter further, having already had an initial contact during which they presented the necessary property documents. For the time being, they have established a mobility table to address traffic issues.
“Two weeks ago, we sent a letter to the Cabildo indicating that we were going to change the access lock, and now we have the key for access. However, until two weeks ago, that was not the case,” Diaz remarks when questioned about unrestricted access to the properties with current limitations in the ravine.
They advocate for the establishment of regulations to manage tourist access to the ravine, especially as they have witnessed the “excesses” of certain visitors. However, they argue for their right to be consulted during this process, alongside their other requests, while expressing feelings of being overwhelmed by tourism and urging for greater comfort.
“Everything is geared towards tourism, but when do we consider the needs of the residents?” Jorge Javier queries.
