Residents Frustrated as Abandoned Cars Linger on Santa Cruz Streets
Residents of Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s Salamanca neighborhood are calling for the removal of over a dozen derelict vehicles that have occupied public streets for more than a year, citing safety and parking concerns.
Residents in the Salamanca neighborhood of Santa Cruz de Tenerife are frustrated by a growing urban planning and health issue: a dozen abandoned cars have been left on public streets for over a year. Vehicles parked on major roads, such as Prosperidad and Fernando Primo de Rivera, have fallen into disrepair, with some even being used as makeshift shelters.
The cars are clearly derelict, with visible structural damage and expired technical inspections (ITV) dating back to 2019 and 2020. Despite repeated complaints to the police, locals feel the city has failed to take action, allowing the problem to persist.
Gladis de León, the Councilor for Citizen Security, explained that removing the vehicles is a complex legal process. Regulations require the city to open an administrative file and attempt to contact the owners. If there is no response, the city must publish an official notice in the Canary Islands Gazette (BOC) before the cars can be towed to an impound lot and scrapped. De León noted that this process typically takes at least six months, though she added that the City Council expects to resolve similar cases for fifty other vehicles across the capital soon.
This situation highlights the ongoing struggle city councils face when dealing with abandoned cars. While authorities must respect private property rights, the delay in removing these vehicles creates significant issues for residents, including reduced parking, safety concerns, and public health risks. Balancing these legal protections with the need to maintain clean, accessible public spaces remains a major challenge for cities across Spain.