The two councilors that VOX has in the Arrecife City Council, Eugenio Hernández Cabrera and Jorge Enrique Barrios Rodríguez, demand that the "numerous problems that affect what is undoubtedly one of the pillars on which public transport in the capital of Lanzarote is based: taxis" be "solved" in an "immediate" manner.
"Although the municipal government, made up of councilors from the Popular Party (PP) and the Canarian Coalition (CC), has occupied numerous spaces in the media announcing solutions for the taxi sector," the truth is that "inaction" has become the "hallmark" of a group that "does not walk" and those solutions that "they sell with great fanfare do not appear anywhere," they have stressed from the political formation.
Thus, VOX has presented a motion for the next ordinary plenary session in which they demand that "once and for all what happens with taxi drivers in Arrecife is controlled and monitored," especially what "is happening at the cruise ship dock." In addition, they believe it is "necessary," adjusting to the demand of the sector itself, that "the procedures be expedited so that the drivers who take the exams can join the labor market" and so that the exams are "more frequent," given the "evident demand that there is for people who can get behind the wheel," they point out.
“We are all suffering from the problems with taxis when cruise ships arrive. The demand for taxis skyrockets, as they go to the arrival of cruise ships earlier and leave the citizens of the municipality abandoned. This is something that even some taxi drivers have communicated to our group, who believe that strict control is necessary and urgent to truly guarantee compliance with what is, although some forget it, an essential public service. Whether the journeys are long or short, the residents of the capital must have access to a public vehicle in a reasonable time. Neither the buses provide a good service at the moment nor the taxis either,” summarizes the VOX spokesperson, Eugenio Hernández.
"Neither the buses provide a good service at the moment nor the taxis either”
On the other hand, Vox points out that "there is a municipal ordinance that clearly regulates the presence of taxis at the stops and establishes shifts with the number of taxis that can go to the arrival of cruise ships. It is obvious that this is not being complied with. We understand that many of the drivers want to seek the greatest possible profitability in their work, that they want to make their effort have a greater reward. However, they know that they are subject to regulations and the residents have to have the same right as a tourist to access a vehicle of these characteristics.”
From VOX they ask that this "anomaly" be "controlled" by the Local Police, "supervising and monitoring the shifts of the port and solving the desolation of the stops," due to "lack of presence" of taxis. “It is incredible to hear stories of people with reduced mobility who cannot leave their homes because they cannot find a taxi to take them to the destination they choose on a specific day. That should not have been happening and we are certainly going to try to make sure it doesn't happen again,” says Hernández.
“Cruise passengers must also be provided with a good service, but everything in an orderly manner, with rigor and without cheating. And for that, someone needs to, not only making bombastic announcements in the media, roll up their sleeves and get to work immediately,” he insists.
The VOX councilors, who have held different meetings with the representatives of the sector, "consider it essential for the service to be provided also in conditions that increase the number of drivers." It seems to them "surreal that the taxi drivers themselves have explained to them how neither the previous government nor the current one have decided to call the exams that are needed in the capital." “They have explained to us that about thirty more drivers would be needed for the service to be provided in conditions and in all corners of the municipality.”
Finally, they state that "the exams to obtain the license should be called periodically, at least once a month, since the tests have not been carried out since September 2023." "With enough drivers, the service would be relieved and a large part of the fleet could be at the stops, at night and on weekends, while others rest. It is of such elementary and overwhelming logic that it is surprising that no one had thought of seeking and finding an immediate solution before,” concludes the municipal spokesperson.
