Cabildo de Tenerife and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of La Laguna (ULL) have entered into an agreement to delay the start of classes until after 10:00 am in the first three courses with the aim of reducing traffic. Roads first thing in the morning, especially on TF-5 Highway.
This was announced this Tuesday by the insular president and candidate for re-election for the PSOE, Pedro Martín.
Access to this Faculty is located in the section that connects the cities of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and La Laguna, in an exit that provides access to various neighborhoods on the outskirts as well as to the University Hospital of the Canary Islands, and a It is among the busiest points on the island, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. This measure has been requested on various occasions as a way of reducing traffic during peak hours, but has not materialized so far.
The agreement, which will begin to enter into force next year, costs the Cabildo de Tenerife two million euros, which will be transferred to the University of La Laguna for research and improvement of its facilities, said the president of the corporation in relation to public transport. Call on the media to reveal their election plans.
Martin said that the PSOE maintains a “firm commitment” to public transport, both nationally, with free trams and buses, and in Tenerife.
The insular president links this agreement to the entry into force of Law 6/2022, of 27 December, on Climate Change and the Energy Transition of the Canary Islands, by which public and private universities are obliged to establish staggered plans set for the beginning . and the elimination of activities that allow reducing the intensity of traffic generated by its activity.
Martin confirmed that the measure could help reduce queues on TF-5 in peak traffic hours, as well as continue to boost the use of public transport, which increased by 45% and 49% in the first quarter. % has increased. Titasa and Metropolitano de Tenerife, respectively.
In this line, he highlights the PSOE’s “clear commitment” to public transport, as evidenced by the fact that it is free in 2023, including the decision of the Governing Council of Cabildo this Friday to acquire the total. Agreement has been added. 249 buses for the amount of 88 million and recruitment of workers in the Titsa company to cope with the increase in demand (230 more only in 2022).
Martin estimates that these are the “latest generation” of vehicles (70% are hybrids) that will save 7 tons of CO2 that will stop being emitted into the atmosphere.
These units will be received during the years 2024 and 2025 and will allow the fleet to be expanded and all intercity vehicles older than 10 years to be refurbished.
Thus, a total of 145 units will arrive in 2024, including 6 long-distance inter-city buses, 18 15-metre inter-urban vehicles, 13-metre inter-city units, 25 13-metre suburban units, 20 11-metre buses. meter intercity units. , 7 suburban buses of 11 metres, 14 articulated suburban buses of 18 meters and 10 minibuses, while the remaining 104 units will arrive in 2025.
More Bus-HOV Lanes
The President has also announced that projects to promote two Bus-HOV lanes between Guimarãe and Santa Cruz de Tenerife and between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Chumbras have already been prepared, in such a way that the authorizations Work will start soon. and in the case of Candelaria, signing agreements with the town hall to promote the development of urban transportation. “And we want to sign more,” he remarked.
On complaints from some municipalities in the north with the construction project of TF-5’s third lane, he has indicated that “it is necessary” to solve traffic congestion but at the same time has shown willingness to meet. Affected groups and municipalities (for now Santa Ursula and Tacoronte are unsatisfied) “look for the best fit”.
Tenerife’s PSOE, in collaboration with municipalities, is also working to enable park-and-ride parking, which will require receiving bags of soil in areas defined as essential in the insular plan for sustainable mobility. Has been done
Likewise, the promotion of electric mobility on the island of Tenerife is one of the measures that the insular socialist team will implement by developing, in coordination with other public administrations, programs to promote the use of electric vehicles and an adequate and adequate supply chain. Installation of a network of charging points for electric vehicles on roads.
