going green
The funds form part of the Ciudad 21 Programme, aimed at promoting sustainability in large urban areas
19.02.09 - 11:43 -
CYCLISTS. Associations have been clamouring for more cycle lanes for years. / S. SALAS
Pedal power is gaining strength on the Costa del Sol. The Junta de Andalucía’s Environment representative in the province of Malaga, Remedios Martel, and the Malaga delegate, María Gámez, announced last week that the regional authority will subsidise 16 kilometres of cycle lanes in Malaga, Marbella, Mijas and Vélez-Málaga, all municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants.
This comes as good news for environmentalists and cyclists in the area who have been campaigning for more cycle lanes for years. The subsidy granted by the Junta de Andalucía is worth 1.7 million euros which will be combined with municipal funds to complete the project.
Gámez stressed the need to promote the use of a bicycle as a form of transport, due to its low cost and zero atmospheric and noise pollution not to mention the health benefits.
As an example she quoted a study carried out in Denmark which concluded that people who had used a bicycle as their regular means of transport for several years were 40 per cent less likely to die from a heart-related illness.
New routes
In the city of Malaga some 426,000 euros will be spent on six kilometres of cycle track to link the city centre with the Teatinos Campus of the University of Malaga.
In Vélez-Málaga the new cycle lane will stretch for three kilometres and will be built with 423,000 euros of regional funding. In this case the lane will be two-way and will link several points of Vélez with the existing cycle lane to Torre del Mar.
Mijas will receive 425,000 euros for 3.8 kilometres of cycle track through Las Lagunas.
Finally in Marbella the first part of the cycle lane project will run for 3.2 kilometres south of San Pedro Alcántara with funding of 425,000 euros.
Remedios Martel pointed out that the funds formed part of the Ciudad 21 Programme, aimed at promoting sustainability in large urban areas.
As well as providing the subsidies the Junta has published a guide “La ciudad en tu bici” (the town on your bike) which explains road safety and other tips for cyclists.
