The Santa Cruz Town Council, in collaboration with the Department of Mobility, has initiated a new traffic management strategy to ease congestion to Las Teresitas Beach. The council, represented by Mobility Councillor Evelyn Alonso, Anaga District Councillor Gladis de León, along with technicians from the department and representatives from Titsa, the local urban transport service provider, introduced the plan during a community meeting in San Andrés.
The initiative focuses on a pilot test for a dedicated bus lane stretching from Dársena Pesquera to Las Teresitas beach. The primary goal of this project is to encourage beachgoers to opt for public transportation, particularly on weekends and public holidays, to help alleviate the regular traffic bottlenecks.
Details of the Initiative by Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Objective: To determine if the dedicated bus lane can improve vehicle flow and boost public transport usage as the main access route to Las Teresitas Beach.
- Feedback Mechanism: The council will monitor the effectiveness of this trial and will consider alternative strategies if it proves unsuccessful, acknowledging the limited infrastructure capacity to handle peak traffic times.
Mobility Director Ofelia Manjón highlighted that the four-day experimental project aims to gather and confirm data concerning current traffic and public transport usage. Current figures show a daily usage of approximately 7,000 bus passengers versus 12,000 vehicles travelling to the beach, often with only one passenger per vehicle.
Councillor Gladis de León noted the persistent traffic chaos at the town’s entrance during good weather as locals head to the beach. To mitigate this, the plan includes a new bus service tailored for beach access, running from Thursday to Sunday. This service aims to streamline traffic by converting a section of the dual carriageway between the Dársena Pesquera roundabout and the town’s coloured bridge from two lanes to one.
A representative from Titsa pointed out the current drawbacks of the existing public transport options to Las Teresitas, where buses face delays of over 40 minutes. The new initiative is designed to make bus travel more attractive and efficient compared to private vehicle use, enhancing the frequency of lines 910, 946, and 947.
During the community meeting, residents contributed suggestions and expressed their opinions, which the Mobility department and councillors took into account. These inputs will be considered by the technical team and shared with the Cabildo of Tenerife and the Ports of Tenerife, who are also involved in this pilot project.
Implementation Schedule:
The test is scheduled from 20 to 23 June, operating daily from 09:00 to 18:00. Although the test will conclude each day at 18:00, a parking ban will remain to prevent any potential delays.
Traffic Flow Management:
The newly established bus lane will be reserved for buses, school transport, taxis, and motorbikes, and can be accessed by emergency vehicles if necessary. This lane will commence at the Dársena roundabout and extend to the San Andrés roundabout, with traffic controls in place to regulate the right of way and ensure smooth transitions for bus lines needing to access the Taganana TF-12 road.
This proactive measure by the Santa Cruz Town Council represents a significant effort to improve traffic management and public transport efficiency to one of the city’s most frequented beaches, especially during peak periods.
