Date Published: 28/09/2021
ARCHIVED - Residents group steers bid to tackle dangerous roads and signage in Orihuela
ARCHIVED ARTICLE Orihuela Costa Neighbourhood Association in Action (Avoca) in the Vega Baja, Alicante province, is urging the public to report road safety deficiencies in the town
Residents concerned about poorly designed roundabouts, dangerous roads and inadequate traffic signs in Orihuela are being urged to make their views known on a nationwide platform which aims to eradicate deficiencies in road safety in "order to save lives".
Orihuela Costa Neighbourhood Association in Action (Avoca) is promoting the seventh annual Atresmedia Road Safety campaign 'Ponle Freno' (put the brake on) which invites people to report poor road conditions and badly located or defective signs.
"There are innumerable deficiencies including potholes, poorly designed roundabouts, etcetera, that seriously affect the safety of the movement of vehicles and pedestrians. There are also many road signs, both horizontal and vertical, obsolete, poorly placed or insufficient. We would encourage Orihuela Costa residents to report anything that affects road safety, as well as proposals for improvement," said Avoca. Details on how to do so can be found on the assocaition's Facebook page.
Almost 300 complaints have already been received nationally about poor roads and signage, each of which will be processed, placed on a "complaints map" and passed on to the relevant local authorities.
With regards to Orihuela Costa, one of the complaints registered refers to Calle Salzillo, where there is "a sign warning of the presence of a bike lane that is placed in the opposite direction to traffic, making it impossible for drivers to see it. This is a danger for road safety in general and for cyclists in particular", writes one complainant.
Meanwhille, according to another resident, Calle Traviata in Villa Martin has "become a race track", with motorists often travelling at "speeds of 150 km per hour" on a daily basis.
"Motorcycles and quads are on the road without mufflers on the exhaust, and even the municipality waste collection lorries fly by at speeds of between 80 and 100 km per hour," said the disgruntled local, adding that this is "despite the new traffic law of 30 km per hour within built-up areas, pedestrian crossings, a playground, and a fork road in the area.
"We've already asked the police to come and have a look, but they don't. We can no longer hear each other outside or have a phone conversation and barely get out of our driveway into the road. HELP...," the resident posted on Avoca's Facebook page.
Image: ponlefrenoscampañas