Cantabria ConBici defends the implementation in Santander in this legislature of “real, planned and with clear objectives” sustainable mobility in accordance with the problems of climate change.
The association, which has asked the mayoress, Gema Igual, for a meeting to learn about the planning of the municipal government for these four years, has highlighted in a press release the “little progress” registered in this matter in Santander compared to other country cities.
In this sense, he considers that problems related to cycling through the capital persist and that now, with a government with an absolute majority, of the PP, “it will be seen” if the municipal officials “believe” in sustainable mobility and in a model of a “green and friendly city with its citizens”.
For Cantabria ConBici, the proposals on mobility in Santander so far “are usually partial” and “once and for all, political courage to give a change to the city”, with a Global Mobility Plan “friendly to citizens , not for cars”.
The association also demands that a Mobility Roundtable be maintained from the Consistory, with the representatives of the opposition political parties, social groups related to mobility, such as Cantabria ConBici, Mobility Roundtables, the educational community, neighborhood associations or others .
All this, aimed at achieving a “visible change” in terms of mobility with the agreement between the municipal government team and the political groups, with “planned actions” that have the citizens and their associations.
Among his proposals are to “drastically” reduce traffic in the city center and the lanes for cars on the road in favor of pedestrians, cyclists and users of personal mobility vehicles; and a Traffic Light Plan that benefits pedestrians with the conversion of many traffic lights into elevated zebra crossings and with previous speed bumps and with a “drastic” reduction in waiting times at them.
It also defends a “well-planned” urban transport service that facilitates access to all the city’s neighborhoods, mainly the north-south axis, and that is “agile, effective and efficient”; shuttles in the vicinity of park-and-rides and facilities for bicycle users to transport them on them; and a feasibility analysis with other common transport municipalities for the Santander Bay metropolitan area.
Likewise, they propose the development of an “optimized, planned and prioritized” cycling network, mainly in the center of the city, which favors the use of the bicycle as a means of transport, and not a network of ring road bike lanes for leisure or sport “as they are currently, with some exceptions”.
Also, the elimination of bicycle lanes on the sidewalks, since bicycles “must” circulate on the road; an “effective” management of the use of smart moorings that will not turn them into “bicycle storage rooms”; or install electric bike stations in neighborhoods.
Other of his proposals go through a study to create dissuasive parking at the entrances to the city, dimensioned “adequately and not megaprojects”; the implementation of a Green Wave for residents and low-cost parking spaces for residents in the 16 underground car parks.
Lastly, it demands the regulation of the freight loading and distribution system, control measures and compliance with speed limits; implementation of ‘Low Emission Zones’ and creation of green spaces.
