Tenerife Union Pushes to Ban Standing on Highway Buses
A Tenerife union is campaigning to ban standing on buses traveling on highways, citing safety concerns and a need to align with EU standards.
A union called Sindicalistas de Base (part of the Trade Union Confederation) is pushing for a change in the law to stop people from having to stand on buses travelling on highways and freeways in Tenerife.
While it's not as common as it used to be, the union, particularly the branch in the Güímar Valley, wants to close what they see as a legal loophole. They believe Spain hasn't fully caught up with European Union standards on this issue.
According to the union, Article 48 of transport law allows buses to carry standing passengers if there are adequate handholds. This has been happening in the Canary Islands for a while, even before the handholds were clearly defined.
The union argues that this is dangerous and out of step with the rest of Europe. That's why they've launched the "No More Standing at 100 Kilometers per Hour" campaign. They say the law isn't clear enough about whether standing passengers should only be allowed on slower, local roads, not highways or expressways.
Union members have already met with representatives from various political parties, including PSOE, Nueva Canarias (NC), and Agrupación Socialista Gomera (ASG). They've also reached out to members of the Popular Party (PP) through the new mayor of Güímar.
The plan is to get as much support as possible from different government bodies and political groups. The union is also gathering support online through social media, including surveys on Facebook.
The goal is to get the parties in the Canary Islands to agree on a proposal that would change Article 48 at the national level. The union wants Spain to be in line with countries like Germany, France, the UK, and Portugal, where standing on buses at high speeds isn't allowed. They even think allowing people to stand at around 80 kilometers per hour is risky.
The union is thankful that there haven't been any serious accidents involving standing passengers yet, but they worry that it's only a matter of time. That's why they're so determined to change the law.
In their online campaign, the union is highlighting the potential consequences of an accident at high speeds when passengers are standing, even if they're holding on.