Central streets will close to vehicles for three hours on Sunday, while the Children’s Traffic Park celebrates its 30th anniversary with five open afternoons
Torrevieja will temporarily close its main city-centre streets to vehicles as part of a week-long programme promoting safer and more sustainable forms of transport.
European Mobility Week runs from Wednesday, September 16, until Tuesday, September 22, with activities organised by the Local Police Department under this year’s slogan, “Mobility for All.”
The programme will culminate in a Car-Free Day on Sunday, September 20, when central streets will be closed to motor traffic between 5pm and 8pm.
During the three-hour closure, the roads will be handed over to pedestrians, cyclists and users of other forms of sustainable transport. The initiative is intended to give residents and visitors an opportunity to experience the centre of Torrevieja without the usual traffic and consider alternatives to using private vehicles for short journeys.
Sunday’s activities will begin earlier in the day with a major family event on Paseo Vistalegre.
The Grand Mobility Day Celebration will run from 10am until 1pm and feature a children’s traffic park, cycling circuit, mobility-themed games and a variety of recreational and educational activities.
Torrevieja City Council is encouraging families to travel to the event by bicycle, skateboard or scooter. Organisers hope the celebration will demonstrate the different ways people can move around the city while also promoting respect and cooperation between pedestrians, cyclists, scooter users and motorists.
This year’s Mobility Week places particular emphasis on equality between generations, with many of the activities aimed at children and families. Road-safety education will be combined with cycling and practical demonstrations of alternatives to private car use.
The programme began on Wednesday with the first of five open afternoons at the Children’s Traffic Park, located at the Local Police headquarters.
The facility will welcome families on September 16, 17 and 18, as well as Monday, September 21, and Tuesday, September 22. Each session will run from 5pm to 7pm.
Children will be able to use the purpose-built facilities to learn about traffic regulations and develop practical road-safety skills in a controlled environment.
The open days also mark the 30th anniversary of the Children’s Traffic Park, which has provided road-safety training and awareness activities for Torrevieja schoolchildren for three decades.
Local Police Councillor Federico Alarcón said European Mobility Week offered an important opportunity to introduce safe and environmentally responsible travel habits from an early age.
He said the programme combined education, recreation and community participation while encouraging residents of different ages to consider how they want to travel around Torrevieja in the future.
The council hopes the events will stimulate wider discussion about the use of public space and the role that walking, cycling and other sustainable transport options can play in creating a safer and more accessible city.
