San Miguel de Abona Launches Major Operation to Remove Abandoned Vehicles
The San Miguel de Abona council has launched a major operation to remove nearly 300 abandoned vehicles from its streets to address chronic parking shortages and environmental concerns.
Public spaces in the south of Tenerife are once again becoming overcrowded. In San Miguel de Abona, the local council has launched a special operation to clear nearly 300 abandoned vehicles from its streets. This effort aims to ease parking shortages, though it highlights the complex legal hurdles involved in removing discarded property from urban areas.
Mayor Arturo González explained that the initiative is a direct response to residents’ complaints about the lack of available parking. The council is now conducting thorough inspections to identify which vehicles are legally classified as abandoned. Authorities are also checking for valid insurance and mandatory vehicle inspections (ITV), and owners may face fines if their vehicles are found to be non-compliant. The mayor noted, however, that the process is slow due to red tape, making this the largest cleanup operation the municipality has ever attempted.
The problem is long-standing. Between 2024 and mid-2025, the council processed 488 cases and successfully removed 459 vehicles. The Las Chafiras industrial estate remains a particular concern; for years, residents have complained about cars piling up near local mechanical workshops. As far back as 2022, officials identified over 200 abandoned vehicles in that area alone, highlighting how difficult it is to manage order in busy commercial zones.
This issue is not unique to San Miguel. The neighboring municipality of Granadilla de Abona faces similar challenges and has made street cleaning a regular practice. Their records show ongoing efforts, with 131 vehicles removed in 2025 and another 34 so far in 2026.
Beyond the impact on parking and road safety, abandoned cars pose an environmental risk. By law, these vehicles must be taken to authorized treatment centers to be safely decontaminated and scrapped. Authorities are encouraging owners to surrender their unwanted vehicles to the Local Police free of charge. This option simplifies the process and helps owners avoid the heavy fines associated with abandoning a vehicle on public property.