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COSTA BLANCA NORTH
27th April - 3rd May
Camping crackdown continues on coast By Darren Parmenter A FEW weeks ago, Elche City Council announced that it was introducing tougher controls on the amount of illegal caravans and motor homes using public streets to camp. Now others in the Marina Baixa region that have coastal areas under their control are starting to follow suit. Every year from March, the Costa Blanca attracts a large number of ‘mobile tourists,’ many of whom shun the official camping sites and choose instead to spend their days and nights on or close to local beaches; something that, over a period of time the local councils have tried to combat. Benidorm, Alfaz del Pi, Altea, Finestrat and Villajoyosa have particularly struggled with this annual influx, and
have now resorted to implementing the law of the land that expressly prohibits parking of such vehicles in these areas. In addition, they have also added a number of local bylaws that relate to specific points in the municipality. In recent weeks, authorities in Benidorm have begun to warn people that have camped up illegally that they must move on or face fines. In nearby Villajoyosa, the council has also started to take action with those caravans parked up at the mouth of the Rio Amadorio, with them also being asked to leave. Despite notices prohibiting certain parking areas from being occupied by caravans and motor homes, they are ignored. Regulations approved in 2015 by the Spanish Traffic Authority (DGT) state that
New location for foreigners help THE Foreign Tourist Assistance Service (SATE), located in the Rincon de Loix area, has begun to offer help and guidance to all foreigners in the city who need it and includes advice from the National Police in the event that they have been victims of crime. The new service, next door to the also recently opened Benidorm Tourism Office in Avenida Derramador is right in the centre of the zone where the majority of foreign visitors congregate, especially those from the UK. Previously, this service was located in the Torrejo building where it also shared facilities with the Tourism Office. Not only will users of the SATE find members of the National Police on duty if required, there will also be translators in situ.
Issue 966
INSIDE THIS WEEK ... ICONIC BULLS CAUGHT IN GRAFFITI ROW
P4 BONNIE URGENTLY NEEDS A PACEMAKER PLEASE HELP!
P19 INTERPRETATION: Can people carry on camping... or not?
these vehicles ‘can park up but they cannot camp.’ However, the interpretations of those laws vary from council to council, with some saying it’s wrong to evict this type of tourist and others stating that they must use an official car park or a campsite.
FROM BLACK & WHITE TO COLOUR
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