Local council accused of wanting to “tear apart” iconic gardens and agricultural centre
A contentious debate has erupted in Tavira over a proposed Sustainable Mobility Plan (abbreviated to PMSCT in Portuguese). Commissioned by the municipal council, the plan is being blasted for potentially destroying parts of cherished green spaces and cultural landmarks – all to “open up space for more cars, parking and traffic”.
The local council has downplayed the concerns, stressing that the plan is still open to suggestions.
At the centre of the controversy is the council’s proposed plan to carve out space for increased car traffic, potentially sacrificing the iconic Coreto, Corredoura, and Alagoa gardens.
Additionally, the resurrection of a long-abandoned plan to construct a road through the Agricultural Experimentation Centre of Tavira (CEAT) – which received an unfavourable environmental impact statement carried out four years ago by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA) – has also sparked concern.
Leading the opposition is Associação Ecotopia Activa, which has been vocal in its opposition to the proposed PMSCT. In a statement to the press, it argues that it is an “outdated plan that disregards the current models of sustainable urban mobility” and “neglects matters of public health, climate, pollution, water resources, and social cohesion,” having been created without the participation of local citizens.
The plan also goes against the directives of the European Commission and Parliament for Sustainable Urban Development, says the association, as well as the European Green Deal’s objectives to reduce car traffic in city centres.
Making matters even worse is the rushed timeline for the plan’s public consultation process, which was only announced on Wednesday (March 13) on the council’s Facebook page and gives citizens until Thursday (March 21) to log their opinions on the matter. One citizen commented on the post that “(…) structural projects of this complexity cannot be analysed in just over one week (…)”, while the association claims that “the deadline makes it impossible for most people to truly participate.”
One particularly worrying aspect of the plan for local citizens is the renewed attempt to build a road through CEAT – an iconic municipal infrastructure that they believe should be protected.
Says Ecotopia Ativa, the (agriculture experimentation) centre “represents and has been defended as a strategic project for the town and the region, serving as a privileged centre for the promotion of the Mediterranean Diet.”
In fact, there are plans to set up “a Mediterranean Diet farm and interpretation centre at CEAT, as well as experimental/research fields, an Earth Museum and to continue the recovery and preservation of ‘forgotten traditional varieties’ of Mediterranean species in the region.”
However, the association fears that the entire CEAT runs the risk of “irreversible destruction” if the so-called mobility plan is approved.
“The plan to build the PN 371+317 road, which will run for 608 metres through predominantly agricultural areas (orchards, vineyards, and uncultivated areas), most of them located in CEAT, will destroy the unique character of this space that has been part of Tavira’s identity since 1926,” Ecotopia Ativa says, adding that the road is not included in Tavira’s Municipal Master Plan, which has been in force for four years.
The association has pitched an alternative route for the road which bypasses the CEAT property and which it says maintains the objectives of “increasing peripheral traffic circulation or creating a new railway level crossing.”
On a closing note, the association summed up its main gripes with the plan.
“This plan does not present any improvements for the city; instead, it suggests several interventions that do not reflect the needs of Tavira: MORE cars, MORE insecurity, and a decrease in the quality of the urban landscape in the town centre. It is NOT a sustainable mobility project; it is lacking in its foundation and goes against the very Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) it invokes. Furthermore, in this proposal, there was NO consultation with the true users: the people who daily use the central spaces of the town, including businesses and residents of Tavira,” it says.
The association also urges the council to extend the public consultation process beyond the March 21 deadline.
Former mayor joins protests
The same request has been made by Macário Correia, a former mayor of Tavira who has expressed his dismay at the eight-day timeline for citizens to make their voices heard.
In an open letter, Correia stresses that there are many questions that remain unanswered, such as whether the proposed plan was created by a contracted company or by the council. His criticism continues, stating that the plan “aims to destroy Tavira”.
Whoever created the plan, in his opinion, is “unaware of what is happening in the modern world in which the enjoyment of public spaces must be based on people and not cars. They are 100 years behind, going back to the initial era of automobiles. It does not make sense to destroy public spaces to put more cars there.”
Macário Correia also challenges the local council to hold a “a public session” in which five-minutes will be given to anyone who wants to speak.”
“I will do everything to defend my city from this crazy destruction,” he added.
“Mobility plan focused on cars is not visionary”
Susan Hall, a British writer living in Tavira, has also spoken up about the proposed mobility plan and the renewed attack on the Agricultural Experimentation Centre of Tavira (CEAT).
“Recently, CEAT has seen some positive changes. The local council initially gave support to the development of now flourishing community gardens,” Hall told the Resident, stressing however that the project did not begin without campaigning from local residents.
“It is sad that the council must be reminded again, not least by a former mayor (Macário Correia), that the Tavira mobility plan for the town threatens the already limited green community spaces and the social cohesion of the town. The consultation period of eight days is rather insulting to citizens and residents,” she said.
“At a time when leaders need to be looking at how to create strong communities and life-enhancing green spaces, a mobility plan focused on cars is not visionary or in line with progressive European policies,” Hall added.
Council says “municipality is not bound to plan”
Tavira mayor Ana Paula Martins has attempted to calm the local uproar, stating that the “municipality is not bound” to the proposed plan and that suggestions are being collected for its final version.
Instead, the local leader describes it as a “report with a set of proposals for the improvement of mobility and accessibility” in the municipality, which aims to tackle a series of “urgent” issues, such as parking in the town.
“It’s not a final document but, instead, a series of proposals to promote a more sustainable mobility and a better life quality for all, leading to a reduction of negative impacts,” the mayor told Lusa news agency.
Local citizens who want to participate in the proposed mobility plan’s public consultation process can send an email to mobilidade@cm-tavira.pt and consult all the documentation on the council’s website (www.cm-tavira.pt) by clicking on ‘Participar’ and then ‘Participação Pública’. The plan can be found under the name Plano de Mobilidade Sustentável da Cidade de Tavira.
By MICHAEL BRUXO
