Scooter misuse in Benidorm - 26th August. Benidorm opens around 300 disciplinary proceedings for the misuse of mobility scooters motorized chairs and electric scooters etc on public roads.
During the summer months the Local Police have detected numerous breaches of the regulations by both users and rental companies. The City Council considers the possibility of revoking the opening license of offending establishments.
The is the first results yielded via a control campaign for this type of vehicle recorded during the high season by the Local Police due to the numerous problems that had been detected in many streets of the city generated by their users.
The rental of personal mobility vehicles is a practice that in recent years has grown exponentially in tourist locations and has not been without controversy.
The latest incident resulted in a fatal accident on Wednesday 24th August, when a 58-year-old British tourist, sadly died after colliding with a barrier whilst on a motorised chair she was driving from La Cruz, her 8-year-old grandson was also injured.
Municipal sources state that around 500 motorised mobility vehicles are marketed daily, with rental prices ranging from 10€ a day to 50€ for a week. British tourists are the main users and it is possible to find all kinds of electric vehicles circulating on sidewalks, pedestrian areas, roads, or parked on public roads or blocking public access to many hotels and other establishments.
Photo above by David Revenga
Scooter misuse in Benidorm
Benidorm was the pioneer when it came to regulating the use of these vehicles, with the approval of a municipal ordinance almost a decade ago that, among other issues, limited the rental of these "scooters" to people over 55 years of age or with accredited mobility problems. Rental companies have to have civil liability insurance. Users can under these rules receive penalties for driving drunk or at high speed. In addition. Some types of vehicle, according to the ordinance, are only available for organization of group excursions.
But in reality breaches by users and certain rental companies are constant and have serious consequences. This is clear, at least, from the data provided this Thursday by the councillor for Commerce and Citizen Security, Lorenzo Martínez, who has assured that so far this summer the Local Police has opened more than 300 sanctioning files for the improper use. Fines can amount to 500 euros.
Among the breaches detected in this police campaign is not only the rental of this type of vehicle to people who do not meet the requirements of the ordinance, that is, to people under 55 without mobility problems, but also the fact that some of these vehicles for rent are not in optimal condition or lack all the required documentation.
As far as users are concerned, the most repeated breaches are to circulate through unauthorised areas, speeding, carrying additional passengers, inadequate protection, or parking in restricted areas, which may entail the removal of the vehicle and payment of an additional penalty.
The councillor defends that the use of these type of vehicles, both personal mobility and for people with disabilities, "can be a solution and a very important service in a city like ours, provided that they are used as intended and not an uncontrolled abuse to do business".
Lorenzo Martínez has indicated that, in addition to inspections, the Local Police also carry out information campaigns, but "the police can not spend all their time on making users and companies comply."
Scooter misuse in Benidorm
All the information that has been obtained in this latest campaign is now being reviewed and the municipal legal services are studying the possibility of revoking opening licenses to establishments dedicated to the rental of motorcycles, chairs or skates that have been sanctioned repeatedly.
Please note this article has been translated from Spanish to English so some details may be slightly lost in this translation. Read the original article in Spanish here.
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25th August - British woman dies in Benidorm - Latest updates on this tragic story. The 8-year-old boy who was on the same "scooter" as the victim remains in the Pediatric ICU at the General of Alicante after suffering injuries.
Local Police are trying to understand the cause of the accident, at this point in time nothing is being ruled out from possible brake failure on the mobility scooter to the woman having some medical issue which lead her to crash sharply into the fence.
24th August - A 58 year old British woman died in a tragic accident on Wednesday 24th August.
The events took place just after 16.15hrs when the family were on their way down from visiting the Cross (La Cruz) when the vehicle the woman was driving at quite high speed hit against the wooden fence, causing the woman to fall over the fence and fall down the steep hillside. .
The victim was on holiday in Benidorm with her husband and 8 year old grandson.
Sources state that the rented mobility scooter the victim was driving, left the road and plunged down the cliff, in an area that was very difficult for emergency services to access. She was reportedly carrying her 8 year old grandchild on the scooter at the time, who was also injured in the fall.
After observing how the woman rushed down the hillside, her husband, who was driving another motorized scooter, stopped his vehicle to assist, but whilst trying to help also suffered injuries.
Local and National Police, Benidorm fire services and Sanitary SAMU ambulance teams attended the scene, SAMU staff performed resuscitation techniques on the 58 year old woman, but, sadly were not able to revive her. The rescue attempt lasted approximately 2 hours.
The reason for the accident is being investigated, sources indicate that the Police have opened an investigation to clarify the causes of the accident and to determine if the rented vehicle complied with all the requirements set by the regulations.
Benidorm has been on a crusade for years to regularise the use of this type of vehicle, given the multiple breaches that occur by drivers. In addition to many other requirements, the municipal ordinance states that only people over 55 years old or with mobility problems can rent mobility scooters, but in this case regulations were followed since she was over 55 years old.
Please note the above has been translated from Spanish to English, so some details may be lost in translation. Read the original article HERE
Our sincere condolences go out to the victims family and friends.
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Spanish Covid News - Tighter restrictions are once again being considered for some regions, and Benidorm could be included in these.
23rd November, further meetings to discuss both tighter restrictions and covid passports etc are expected to take place Thursday/Friday
These new restrictions could mean closing interiors of bars and restaurants at 23.00 and the closure of nightclubs at 01.00.
The Public Health Commission, in which the autonomous communities and the Ministry of Health are represented, will debate this afternoon whether to recommend the closure of the interior of the hotel industry from 23.00 hours if you are in a territory at medium risk of covid and with high hospital pressure.
The proposal, as confirmed by health sources, would be activated when the cumulative incidence of 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants due to covid was exceeded and there was considerable care pressure in hospitals and intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The current rate is of 133 cases per 100,000 in our region (Alicante), with places like Benidorm at around three times that.
"It is about giving more relevance to the hospital situation in the evolution of the pandemic. The key point is the hospital issue, because right now most infections occur in children under 11 years of age, who do not go to the hospital, "explain these sources, who specify that it is "practically" the same 'traffic light' of measures that was discussed last week in the Commission, although finally no agreement was reached.
ALL current rules in place for the Valencian Community can be found HERE
Tighter restrictions being considered
The document that will be debated today, proposed by the Alert Paper, also includes the proposal to close nightlife at 01.00 hours, and always dancing with a mask. In hospitality establishments, such as restaurants, bars or cafes, the maximum occupancy of the tables should also be restricted up to 10 people or 50 percent of the capacity in interior areas.
In the case of high risk areas, when there is an incidence above 300 and the care pressure is even greater, the proposal to be debated states that the interiors of the hotel industry would not be closed, but could open at 25 percent capacity, with six people per table but closing at 23.00 hours. At extreme risk, with an incidence above 500, the interior of the hotel industry would be closed.
With this update, Spain would be at medium risk in terms of the cumulative incidence at 14 days, since it is above 100, but would not meet the parameters in hospital occupancy, which still remains at 2.33 percent in the case of hospital beds and 5.70% in ICUs.
On the other hand, the Commission will treat vaccination with a third dose to those over 60 and health and social care personnel, as agreed last week by the Vaccine Presentation and announced by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.
More news will follow.
Covid Passports
In a statement yesterday 21st November, President of our region Ximo Puig has said that the so called "covid passports" to enter certain types of situations and places will come into operation "In the next few days". Full details of what situations and businesses will have to ask for proof of vaccination before entry have not been detailed yet, but he has previously mentioned "The nightlife and leisure industry" We will know more very soon.
Today 23rd November the Valencian government state that the "legal work" to implement the planned Covid passport which will be needed to enter certain situations of premises, is due to be presented in the next few days. the aim is to have the "Covid passport" scheme up and running before the next fiesta, Constitution day, on December 6th. Other regions such as neighbouring Cataluña already have a system in operation.
To obtain the covid passport in the Valencian Community you must access the page enabled by the Generalitat https://coronavirusregistro.san.gva.es/sipcovid19/certificadoDigitalUE?language=es
Please note this article has been translated from Spanish to English, read the original article HERE at lasprovincias.es
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Discussions take place re the 90 day rule - The president of the Diputación, Carlos Mazón, discusses with the ambassador the situation of Brexit and how this process affects the British, whose stay can not exceed three months, due to Schengen Rules.
The president of the Diputación de Alicante and the Provincial Tourism Board, Carlos Mazón, met in London with the Ambassador of Spain in the United Kingdom, José Pascual Marco, to address the situation of British residents in the province, after Brexit, and specify collaborative actions that allow extending their stay in the territory beyond the three months currently stipulated. The meeting, which took place at the Embassy in Chesham Place, was also attended by the director of the Provincial Tourism Board, José Mancebo, and the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez.
The meeting was attended by Mazón, the director of the Board of Trustees, José Mancebo and the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, pictured above
Discussions take place re the 90 day rule
As Mazón explained, "British residents in the province are a source of wealth for us and one of our best ambassadors for the arrival of British tourism on the Costa Blanca. They are fundamental and we are working on reciprocity so that they can also be six months in a row in our territory when they come to visit us, because they are the same conditions in which Alicante and Spaniards can be in the United Kingdom. "
The meeting with the ambassador, which lasted for just over half an hour, "has gone in this direction and we have launched common activities to pressure, to work and to bring this possibility closer from the point of view of the claim before the British Government," said Mazón.
Finally, the institutional head and president of the Provincial Tourism Board has recognized that the meeting "has been very satisfactory and the ambassador is perfectly aware of one of the priorities that the province of Alicante has as a large province, probably the most British in all of Spain, with more than 70,000 residents".
From this meeting came the commitment of the ambassador to transfer to the British government this "urgent need for the tourist and economic interests of the province", according to Mazón. The area of International Residents of the Diputación de Alicante, directed by the deputy Juan de Dios Navarro, has launched in recent years various information campaigns to facilitate procedures and resolve doubts that arise to the British who live in our province.
The meeting took place within the framework of the World Travel Market, where the Costa Blanca Board of Trustees yesterday closed an important agreement with international tour operators to activate an extraordinary plan focused on accelerating the reservations of British visitors to the province for 2022. As announced by Mazón, this strategy, in collaboration with the tourism sector of the Costa Blanca, will be activated in December and will consist of several phases in order to ensure that during the first quarter of next year a large part of the stays in the province of tourists from the United Kingdom are already arranged.
Please note this article has been translated from Spanish to English, some details may be slightly lost in this translation, read the original article here at Information.es
Benidorm Islands Illegal Bar - Updates 4th April 2022 - Two separate court verdicts have exonerated Benidorm town hall from responsibility for allowing a bar and its installations from operating illegally on Benidorm Island for close to 60 years.
The court cases have determined that the island is property of the Spanish state, and not the town hall, so they do not have blame for allowing the situation, nor stopping the situation, but rather the state does.
The report points out that the installations are situated on public land not private, do not have any licences, and are committing environmental offences such as dumping waste such as effluent directly into the sea. However following the judgements, it is now clear that the state of Spain that is responsible for taking appropriate action, not Benidorm town hall.
Benidorm Islands illegal bar News updates 10th June 2021 - Benidorm Island will host an environmental interpretation centre instead of the illegal bar.
From illegal bar for tourists to environmental interpretation centre. The Benidorm City Council has managed to get the Provincial Coast Service to take a giant step in the face of its plans to recover for the public heritage the unlicensed bar that for more than four decades has been operated by a private individual on the island and to be able to convert it into an environmental centre.
The provincial body headed by Rosa de los Ríos has put on public display the application file for the administrative concession presented by the consistory to carry out a comprehensive rehabilitation of the existing buildings on the island and create this interpretation centre as well as an accessible jetty.
Information on Boat trips to the island can be found HERE
The display is available for a period of twenty working days, from June 4th, so that any interested party can review the file and make any allegations they deem appropriate, although the public exhibition does not have to finally lead to the objective pursued by the City Council, municipal sources considered that, without a doubt, it is a step forward to recover and put even more in value this natural space, which is one of the most recognizable icons of the municipality.
Benidorm City Council approved in February 2020 the proposal to request Costas the administrative concession of the pier and the current existing building on the island, with the aim of reversing the situation of illegality because of the existence of a restaurant that lacks a license to carry out this activity despite having been doing so for nearly four decades; secondly, by the opening of a judicial investigation into several alleged crimes by the establishment following a report prepared by the Public Prosecutor's Office, including the discharge of faecal and waste water from the establishment's kitchen into the sea.
The project
The project sent from the consistory to Costas to try to obtain the concession of what was built on the islet proposes the demolition of part of the current construction, specifically of the terrace and adapt the façade and other elements so that the new space resembles as much as possible the original construction ie to create 'a traditional fishermen's house' but transported to the present.
The project, which is valued at just over €656,000, the planned new building will have two floors but would only occupy almost half of the surface of the current building, there will also be space a for reception, lockers, toilets and an exhibition hall, outdoor terraces that would function as viewpoints and to ensure the viability of the centre a small cafeteria will be integrated, although unlike the establishment that currently operates, the new cafe would only provide "snacks" and drinks service."
Demolition order
There has been a demolition order on the current building since 2019 this was issued by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition because the space is included in the maritime-terrestrial public domain area, despite this, until the beginning of the pandemic, the establishment continued to function as normal.
Ecological value of the Island
The island of Benidorm is a space of great ecological value, and is part of the Sierra Gelada/Helada natural park and was declared by the Consistory a protected area in 1966 and since 1990 also has a special protection plan. The island is home to a large colony of storm petrals, a small aquatic bird and an important colony of oceanic posidonia (sea grass) a species that inhabits the seabed.
Please note this story has been translated from Spanish to English, some details may be slightly lost in this translation, read the original article here.
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