Tenerife South Business Leaders Warn Traffic Gridlock Threatens Regional Economy
Business leaders in southern Tenerife are urging the government to fast-track long-delayed infrastructure projects, warning that severe traffic congestion on the TF-1 motorway is threatening the region's economic productivity and stability.
Traffic congestion in the south of Tenerife is no longer just a daily annoyance; it has become a major threat to the region's economy and social stability. As reported by Diario de Avisos, local business leaders are warning that the gridlock is damaging productivity and dividing the region.
The Circle of Entrepreneurs and Professionals of the South of Tenerife (CEST) reports that the TF-1 motorway, which carries up to 100,000 vehicles a day in some areas, is severely overloaded. This has made travel between key hubs like San Isidro and Adeje so difficult that it is hurting local businesses and discouraging professional travel. CEST president Javier Cabrera notes that many companies are now limiting their operations because employees spend too much of their workday stuck in traffic, making it impossible to stick to schedules or budgets.
Business owners argue that while the region’s population has grown by 9% annually since the turn of the century, the current crisis is not simply a result of this growth. Instead, they blame a lack of administrative planning. They argue that the road network has failed to keep pace with the island's development due to two decades of inaction on public infrastructure.
However, there is a potential path forward. José Fernando Cabrera, president of the Forum of Friends of the South of Tenerife (FAST), points out that several infrastructure projects are already drafted and ready for tender. If these are fast-tracked, the region could address its long-standing transport issues before the current legislative term ends. Key projects include widening critical sections of the TF-1 to three lanes—specifically between San Isidro and Las Chafiras—as well as improving connections to Playa de Las Américas and Fañabé. For the business community, these upgrades are essential to ending the region's isolation and restoring its economic competitiveness.