Las Palmas’ network of bicycle lanes is growing fast but not everybody is happy about it.
Neighbours on Paseo de San Jose and Calle Reyes Catolicos (south of Vegueta) affected by bicycle lane works complain that there isn’t room and that other projects should be finished first.
In other areas of the city where bike lanes are going in, local business owners complain about the loss of parking. This is despite the fact that bike lanes and pedestrian streets have been shown boost local shops in cities around the world.
Las Palmas’ cyclists are unhappy about the new two-way cycle lane along Primero de Mayo street in Triana. They say the lane, which is set to be 1.75 metres wide, is too narrow and runs parallel to a bus lane without suitable safety barriers.
Las Palmas cycling advocates Las Palmas En Bici supports the new bicycle lanes. Its president said that it is better to have the lanes than not and that cycling has to coexist with other road users.
Las Palmas bike lanes and routes
Work is ongoing on several other sections of the Las Palmas urban bike lane network: Eventually, there will be two main routes across the city.
Hoya de la Plata to Plaza de España. This route starts at Hoya de la Plata, followed by Blas Cabrera Felipe, Paseo de San José, Eufemiano Jurado, Reyes Católicos, Espiritu Santo, Obispo Codina, Muro, General Bravo, Maninidra, Primero de mayo, Paseo de Chil, and Plaza de España .
Triana to La Isleta: Calle Malteses, then Francisco Gourie, León y Castillo, Simón Bolívar, Albareda and Juan Rejón.
Work is ongoing on León y Castillo, where the bike lane will take up a traffic lane between San Telmo and Julio Luengo, and on Paseo de Chil and Calle Maninidra.
Source: La Provincia