Vázquez assures that Zapata's idea of prohibiting cars in Timanfaya was an "error of interpretation"

The Minister of the Centers of Art and Culture of Lanzarote, Ángel Vázquez (PP), intervened this past Thursday on the program Buenos días, Lanzarote of Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero to clarify the implementation of shuttle buses in Timanfaya National Park, attributing the previous announcements to a possible confusion with Los Volcanes Natural Park.

As you may recall, a few days ago the Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands, Mariano Zapata (PP), stated that the future of Timanfaya National Park involves leaving vehicles outside the enclosure and accessing it via shuttle buses, considering the current access model "unsustainable".

However, Ángel Vázquez explained that he believes these statements were the result of a mistake by Mariano Zapata. "I believe he was referring to shuttle buses in Los Volcanes Natural Park to go to the Cuervo Volcano, not Timanfaya," he expressed. Thus, he indicated that he has no information regarding this decision and believes it "was an error of interpretation."

It should be recalled that within Los Volcanes Natural Park are the Cuerno Volcano and Caldera Blanca, two protected areas where tests with shuttle buses were carried out during Easter 2025 to regulate the number of visits and the impact of tourism in these areas.

In this regard, he added that if any change is to be made in the park's management, "it must first be agreed upon with the Cabildo and decided with the political forces that make it up whether or not we change the mountain management model." "I don't think it's about coming and imposing shuttle buses because the Government of the Canary Islands says so," he continued.

Shuttle buses that could cause losses in Montañas del Fuego

On the other hand, he emphasized that implementing shuttle buses in Timanfaya National Park would cause negative effects on the restoration. Furthermore, he indicated that "Montañas del Fuego is the jewel in the crown of the Tourist Centers because it is what sustains the rest of the CACTs." "If we implement shuttles, there is a risk of losing the restoration because we already have studies that say we could lose between five and eight million euros annually," he continued.

Despite the fact that in the case of incorporating shuttle buses each tourist could return in the one they wanted to stay as long as they wished in the park, the counselor stated that for that "ten or twelve shuttle buses would be needed". "Who pays for them? Besides, reports would have to be made...", he pointed out.

Vázquez also assured that the cars "do not pollute because they are turned off and, besides, we have a survey where it says that 85% of people want a private car, to go when they want and leave when they want, they don't want the bus".

"That could be a significant economic detriment because people after Covid do not want to do things with mass gatherings in closed spaces and that must also be taken into account... we want the system to change, but we will have to agree on how we do it", he added.

Regarding the car queues that habitually form at the entrances to Timanfaya, the counselor announced that work is being done to equip the park with fiber optics so that visitors can access it in a limited way and with online tickets.