For the past few years, an increase in visitors to La Arena beach (Isla) has been observed, which has led to problems of different kinds related to parking control and other limited or prohibited uses on the sands, which until now have not been able to be controlled because this is a remote location away from the residential area and because it is not possible to monitor it by means of the Local Police, whose staff numbers are very limited. The main problems requiring a solution arise from various factors, which, on the one hand, refer to the parking and circulation of vehicles on days of high occupancy. Another problem that has been growing over the last few seasons has been the presence of dogs in the beach area, where there is no continuous monitoring; this is the reason for the highest number of complaints received from beach users, since the number of animals has increased and, in many cases, the lack of appropriate behaviour is causing many disturbances to other users. This area, where for many years the presence of pets had been allowed, was finally included in the prohibition approved by the Town Hall in the Environmental, Coexistence and Leisure By-law, due to the extremely high number of animals coming to the area with no control.
The third of the problems, currently the most pressing, is the “invasion” of campervans or camper vans, which have significantly increased their presence, occupying parking spaces intended for service to the beach, staying overnight and, in some cases, camping in areas of high environmental value.
To try to improve these aspects, the Town Hall will implement, in two phases, a pilot project for managing this highly attractive space with important environmental values. During the summer of 2024, a system for controlling and charging for parking will be put in place, enabling 3 workers to carry out the parking control and to monitor compliance with the rules of the municipal by-law. In this first phase, the aim is to have better control of parking, optimising the space and the available bays, and to monitor that campervans only park in the designated area, without in any case being able to stay overnight, since the parking area is set up as a rotation and service space for beach visitors, so that by 24 hours all vehicles must be out. Daily monitoring will also be carried out across the whole beach area to prevent, as far as possible, camping or illegal parking of campervans, for which the future project to demolish the development and regenerate the surrounding area aims to provide an appropriate space in suitable dimensions.
On the other hand, the wardens will carry out information tasks in relation to the prohibition of dogs on the beaches. For this purpose, a leaflet will be provided informing people of the alternatives that the council wants to offer in the future, so that there can be green areas where they can enjoy time with their pets. Access will also be provided to a survey in which users will be able to assess the different alternatives, all of them aimed at providing pets and their owners with areas for enjoyment that do not reduce the quality of the beaches or create health problems or disturbances for other users.
For the Town Hall of Arnuero, this is a new experience, intended to explore alternatives with a view to the final definition of the environmental regeneration project for the surroundings of La Arena beach, in order to ensure that it continues to be a space for coexistence with room for all sensitivities.
To make it possible to assign new staff and improve services in the future, a parking charging system has been established, with moderate fees of €3 for half a day and €5 for the full day. Vehicles included in the Vehicle Excise Tax register will be exempt from payment and will not need to complete any formalities, since the registration plates will be registered in the pay-and-display meter system, meaning they will be automatically detected and they will not be required to produce any ticket.
With regard to the presence of companion animals, during this season the prohibition will continue; however, the wardens will carry out information work and will make it possible for all users to take part in a survey to assess the option of creating an enclosure as a green beach area suitable for pets, equipped with play and animal-welfare elements, close to the beach but separated from it, providing access via the beach for bathing with pets and owners in accordance with behaviour rules that avoid disturbing other users. In this way, pets would have a large area to run around and play without bothering others and, together with their owners, to enjoy this paradise-like place.
At the end of the season, the council’s technical services will evaluate the results, both through the surveys and the incidents that may have occurred, in order to determine the future design of La Arena beach and its surroundings.
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