Los Silos Limits Coastal Parking for Safety

The Los Silos Town Council is restricting parking along a 1.5-kilometer stretch of coastal road. This area was previously used by cars, caravans, motorhomes, and vans for parking and overnight stays. Now, vehicles will only be allowed to park in three specific spots: one at the start, one in the middle, and one at the end of this road section.

The Council installed posts along the road, starting from the La Caleta de Interián neighborhood. This project was funded by a 400,000 euro grant from the Government of the Canary Islands, using Next Generation funds. The local government clarified that their aim isn't to ban parking entirely, but "to give pedestrians a safe space back so they can enjoy the coast." Mayor Carmen Luz Baso Lorenzo (PSOE) added that parking was already forbidden in this area because it's considered public maritime-terrestrial land. She emphasized, "We are not prohibiting anything; it was already not allowed previously."

The road, which passes through the old Daute sugar mill, is managed by the local council. This is why the posts were put up outside the designated easement area. Authorities say that several slopes in the region are being damaged by too many vehicles parking there for long periods. Mayor Baso specifically mentioned the Agua Dulce beach area. About five years ago, the previous Los Silos government (CC-PP) had already marked off this strip and banned parking due to cracks and general wear and tear in the asphalt.

This new measure led to a question from Raquel González, a Popular Party councilor, last Monday. The mayor stated that this was "one of the few complaints" they had received, adding that most local residents were happy with fewer vehicles on the coast. "We have to protect our coastline and put people's safety first," Baso Lorenzo explained.

The Los Silos coast is popular with people using caravans, vans, and other vehicles adapted for overnight stays. In April 2024, the current government (PSOE-USP) introduced rules for motorhome parking in the pool area. This designated area offers 15 spaces where vehicles can park and stay for up to 72 hours.

Juan Luis Martín Beltrán, president of ACAT (Association of Approved Motorhomes and Campers of the Canary Islands), commented on the situation. He said that motorhoming "offers an alternative for small and medium businesses. We spend money in the town." He believes that cutting down parking spaces on the coastal road, by installing posts, doesn't solve the problem but is "like an ostrich hiding its head in the sand." In his view, the council's action is just a temporary fix.

The Los Silos mayor pointed out that the Cabildo de Tenerife is responsible for regulating motorhome use on the island. "We have been waiting for over two years for the island authority to set rules for this activity," she stated. She also mentioned that there have been discussions about this, with Los Silos often highlighted because of the large number of caravanners on its coast.

Besides putting up posts to limit parking, the grant also funded other projects. These included installing a sculpture honoring the salt workers of La Caleta de Interián, improving the square where it stands, tidying gardens, enhancing the area next to the Las Salinas Early Childhood and Primary Education Center, and sprucing up the surroundings near the whale skeleton, a prominent feature of the Los Silos coast.