Benidorm requests more than 700,000 euros for accessibility, mobility, environmental, and climate change adaptation projects

Benidorm City Council has requested €709,609.99 in grants for four projects related to improving accessibility, mobility, the environment, and climate change adaptation. The application is part of the call for grants for local entities within the framework of destination cohesion measures in the Valencian Community, an intervention integrated into the Valencian Community Territorial Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2021, funded by the EU under the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan. These projects will be reported on during the upcoming information committees.

The first project for which grants have been requested falls under Program 1, "Adaptation of tourist areas to climate change through the provision of shade islands", and envisages the installation of these islands in the urban parks of Rincón de Loix, Foietes, and Avenida de Bélgica to adapt to climate change. These spaces are located in urban areas with a high visitor density, and their potential users are not limited to the resident population but also include users of tourist accommodations, second homes, and guests of nearby hotels.

“The project is part of the city's DTI strategy aimed at sustainability, accessibility, and the continuous improvement of the visitor experience,” explained Francis Muñoz, Councillor for Urban Scene. For him, the creation of shaded areas “not only responds to a climate need, but also improves the quality of public space, strengthens social and tourist cohesion between neighborhoods, and contributes to diversifying the urban leisure offering.” The installation of shade sails and awnings in these spaces, and ultimately the entire project, “promotes climate resilience, universal accessibility, and an improved quality of urban life. It helps mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing direct exposure to solar radiation and lowering surface temperatures in urban spaces,” Muñoz added.

Other positive effects of this project include a reduction in energy consumption and heat stress, an increase in the use of public spaces, and an improved perception of the quality of the urban environment. The requested grant for this project amounts to €124,448.07.

The next project is the construction of a comprehensive perimeter fence in the camping and multi-adventure area of ​​the Séquia Mare Park, which is part of Program 2, "Improving equipment and facilities for awareness, protection, and sustainable use of natural resources." The project aims to guarantee its safety, accessibility, functionality, and conservation, and is part of the strategy to transform the park into a benchmark space for green, educational, and family tourism, the councillor indicated. In addition, there are other more specific objectives such as improving the safety of the park and its users, protecting the park's natural and historical environment, increasing privacy and comfort during activities, facilitating operational management and access control, and ensuring universal accessibility for all visitor profiles, among others. The City Council has requested a grant of €185,227.83.

The council has also requested €200,000 for a third project, entitled "Improvement and duplication of the cycling infrastructure on Avenida del Albir to promote tourist use of the cycling infrastructure," which is part of Program 3, Sustainable Tourist Mobility." The CV-753 is the main route connecting Benidorm with the Albir area and is the preferred route used by tourists from both towns to visit both areas.

Francis Muñoz emphasised that the significant increase in camping spaces "has led to an increase in bicycle traffic on the road, and therefore it is essential to improve and expand the bike lane and signage, and adapt everything to increase road safety." Thus, the planned actions include doubling the bike lane, improving the existing one, creating a roundabout to access the Villamar campsite, and expanding the bike lane.

This reconfiguration "will improve safety and accessibility and optimise the integration of road users to ensure better coexistence between pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles." Furthermore, this action will contribute to reducing pollution and noise emissions and, therefore, to environmental sustainability. Likewise, the councillor noted, "It will boost the competitiveness and profitability of Benidorm's tourism sector, aligning with the objectives of Spain's Sustainable Tourism 2030 strategy."

Finally, the City Council has requested a grant of €199,934.09 to implement the project "Improving tourist accessibility at signalised crossings through acoustic signalling and the creation of pedestrian refuge islands," based on Program 4 "Actions to improve the tourist space." This project will focus on four of the city's main avenues—Beniardá, Jaime I, Alfonso Puchades, and Europa—all of which are highly important tourist destinations and have a high density of vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

To this end, 40 acoustic signalling devices will be installed at traffic lights, and the construction of around twenty pedestrian refuge islands is planned. "This project will also contribute to consolidating Benidorm's image as a DTI, where innovation serves inclusion," stated Francis Muñoz. The project's objective is to "move towards a more accessible, inclusive, and safe tourist city model" by improving urban infrastructure at signalised intersections in high-traffic tourist areas.