Tenerife Council Unveils Draft Plan to Tackle Overcrowding in Anaga Rural Park
The Tenerife Island Council has unveiled a 10-million-euro mobility plan to address overcrowding in Anaga Rural Park, sparking political debate over the feasibility of the proposed traffic and tourism regulations.
Managing traffic and tourism in Anaga Rural Park has become a major point of political debate within the Tenerife Island Council (Cabildo de Tenerife). The council has released a draft plan to address overcrowding in the protected area, which is now open for public feedback until September.
Presented by Mobility Minister Eulalia García, the plan outlines 24 measures across eight key areas. These include regulating parking, installing monitoring sensors, increasing shuttle bus services, and establishing a coordination board. The council is also working on specific projects, such as improving access near Pico del Inglés and launching a digital reservation platform.
However, the opposition is skeptical. Socialist councilor Javier Rodríguez argues that the council has failed to deliver on past promises, such as restricting large tourist buses and building park-and-ride facilities in Las Canteras. In response, the government team cited legal hurdles, noting that they lack direct authority over traffic regulation—a responsibility held by the Provincial Traffic Headquarters—and acknowledged that some tour operators are not following the rules.
Environmental concerns are also a priority. Natural Environment Minister Blanca Pérez has suggested restricting access to certain trails by requiring bookings through the Tenerife On app, similar to the system used in Masca. The goal is to reduce the number of rental cars in local villages and encourage visitors to use public transport.
These mobility initiatives are part of a broader budget update recently approved by the council, totaling nearly 10 million euros. This includes 96,000 euros for Anaga’s park-and-ride facilities. The wider funding package also covers 3.3 million euros for school air conditioning, 70,000 euros for a Teide National Park reservation system, 100,000 euros for a new island slaughterhouse, and 600,000 euros to promote tourism in North America, alongside various water and infrastructure projects.