The Port of Christians is gearing up to tackle its own particular crossing of the Strait during Holy Week, a time when 72,000 regular line passengers and nearly 20,000 vehicles will set sail for San Sebastián de la Gomera, Santa Cruz de la Palma, and the port of La Estaca (El Hierro), as reported yesterday by sources from the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
According to information provided by shipping firms, Fred. Olsen will transport 55,000 travellers on the three routes from the southern dock to the Western Islands, while another company anticipates moving 17,000 passengers. La Gomera stands out as the top choice for these spring mini-breaks, accounting for over half of the travel movements, followed by La Palma, and thirdly, El Hierro.
The projected figures for travel between Friday 11 and Sunday 20 have prompted the Port Authority, the City of Arona, and shipping companies to collaborate on a traffic management plan designed to facilitate, as much as possible, loading and unloading during the peak days, particularly today, tomorrow, and especially Sunday during the return operation.
Police Reinforcement
In this context, the Port and Local Police of Arona will bolster their presence inside and outside the port area to prevent traffic congestion, aiming to ensure smooth access to the Espigón route while managing the entry and exit from the spring parking.
Next weekend, parking along the breakwater will be prohibited from Saturday at 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. This measure aims to clear the exit from the Port of Christians, according to the consulted sources from the Port Authority, who confirmed that police operations would be intensified.
Shipping companies will also suggest to passengers returning to Christians that they navigate their vehicles via the Madrigueras streets rather than the traditional route through Chayofita and Juan Carlos I avenues.
Ongoing Controversy
Holy Week coincides with an ongoing discussion regarding the constraints of Puerto Aonero and its potential remedies, creating a controversy between the president of the Cabildo de la Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, and his counterpart in Tenerife, Rosa Dávila. While Curbelo has called for “immediate reorganisation, this year” and has threatened to organise a protest in Santa Cruz in August, Dávila has countered that “in Tenerife, actions are taken through dialogue and consensus, not through threats or ultimatums.”
A recent study conducted by the College of Engineers of Roads, Canals and Ports of Santa Cruz de Tenerife suggests possible solutions such as extending the Port of Christians (with an outer dock or by prolonging the existing breakwater) or revising the current project for the Port of Fonsalía, located in the municipality of Guía de Isora.
The mayor of Arona, Fatima Lemes, has publicly opposed the expansion of the southern dock, although she remains open to dialogue in search of a “sustainable solution that is grounded in technical, social, and environmental criteria.”
Residents and merchants of Christians have also voiced their “strong opposition” in recent weeks to the expansion of the port area.
