Tenerife Residents Protest New Traffic-Monitoring Infrastructure in Anaga Massif

Managing traffic in Tenerife’s protected natural areas has sparked fresh controversy. Local reports indicate that residents are protesting the installation of new digital traffic-monitoring equipment in the Anaga Massif, claiming the Island Council failed to consult them properly.

The dispute centers on new metal structures designed to display real-time parking availability near Cruz del Carmen. These installations are part of an "intelligent management system" contract awarded to Kapsch TrafficCom Transportation and modified by the Department of Natural Environment last December. The project also includes plans for information panels along key routes, such as the TF-13, TF-123, and TF-11, as well as the Jardina viewpoint.

Local residents argue that these installations violate agreements made during previous discussions about the area's Mobility Plan. Neighborhood groups claim they had already raised concerns about these measures, yet the council is moving forward without a consensus on how traffic should be managed. Furthermore, residents are questioning whether these large towers comply with environmental regulations, warning that they cause unnecessary visual and landscape damage to the protected area.

Tensions have risen to the point where residents are threatening to protest if the Island Council continues with its current plan. Their primary grievance is procedural: they argue that installing infrastructure before the final approval of the Mobility Plan is improper. This situation highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing the need to manage visitor numbers in ecologically sensitive areas with the importance of environmental preservation and meaningful public participation.