Benidorm manages to reduce the average speed of vehicles by 28% in a year and a half with the implementation of didactic controllers

The implementation of nine educational speed controllers in as many points in Benidorm has achieved that in just over a year and a half the average speed of vehicles circulating in the city has been significantly reduced.

Specifically, according to measurements made by the Department of Mobility, the speed of traffic has dropped by an average of 11.2 kilometres per hour in the computation of the points where screens with emoticons and speed indicators were placed. This represents, in percentage terms, a global reduction of 28% in the speed of vehicles from the moment these devices were installed to the present.

This speed reduction has been achieved not only by the installation of controllers but also by the application of speed limits on the main roads that are even below the parameters set by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT). In this sense, of the nine points where there are controllers, only in one of them, the one located on Armada Española Avenue, the limit established by the City Council and the DGT, which is 20 km/h, is exceeded on average. If in January 2021 the average speed was 41 km/h at that point, now it is 29.

On this point, the Councilor for Mobility, José Ramón González de Zárate, pointed out that "we have detected that the average speed is slightly higher than that marked and that is why we have decided to act in that area with a very important investment such as the implementation of the Low Emissions Zone, which we will begin in September”. This will allow, he explained, "not only to reduce speed but also to significantly reduce CO2 emissions into the environment".

Data from the Department of Mobility indicates that on Avenida del Mediterráneo, where speed is limited to 10 km/h, this has been reduced from 28 km/h in January 2021 to 20 km/h in April of that year, when the drivers were installed. In July of this year, the average speed had dropped to 16 km/h, still below what the DGT establishes for a road of this type.

In Severo Ochoa, it has gone from the average 32 km/h measured in January 2021 to the current 24. On this road, speed is limited to 20 km/h, also below what the DGT dictates.

A significant drop in speed has also been detected on Comunidad Valenciana avenue, going from 38 km/h measured on January 21 to 31 km/h in July this year. Here the permitted speed is 30 km/h, while the DGT allows ten more for these roads.

The situation that occurs in two other points controlled by these devices is also noteworthy. On Beniardá Avenue and Alfonso Puchades, vehicles circulate at an average speed lower than that established by the City Council, which is 30 km/h. Thus, in Beniardá avenue it has gone from 37 km/h to 27 and in Alfonso Puchades from 30 km/h to 25 this past July. On both roads, the DGT would allow traffic up to 40 km/h.

Another of the controlled points, Villajoyosa Avenue, limited to 20 km/h, has gone from 41 km/h at the beginning of 2021 to an average of 29 km/h last July, still below what Traffic would mark. for a road of these characteristics.

The same thing happens on Juan Pablo II Avenue, where you cannot drive faster than 30 km/h. If in January 2021 the average speed was 56 km/h, that figure has now been reduced to 35 km/h. On Vicente Pérez Devesa avenue, with the same limitation, an average speed of 56 km/h was also recorded in January last year, which has been reduced to 41 km/h now.

Finally, the Department has decided to also act on Nau Llondro street, in the Salt de l'Aigua school complex, which has detected an increase in the speed of vehicles. This road is limited to 20 km/h, but the average speed measured from March to July ranges between 31 and 34 km/h. "We have seen that there had been an increase in speed in this area and for this reason, it has been decided to place a new controller with a speed indicator and an emoticon to warn drivers," González de Zárate explained.

Similarly, another similar device has also been installed on Comunidad Europea Avenue which, like the existing ones, will have the same function of informing drivers about whether or not they are driving at a suitable speed.