Santa Cristina d'Aro says enough and bans cars that are not residents'

BarcelonaThe City Council of Santa Cristina de Aro, In Baix Empordà, it has said enough. It no longer wants to endure the presence of cars diverting from the C-31 on their way from the Costa Brava to Barcelona, clogging up the town for hours. This Sunday, the council deployed a special police operation for the return trip from the May 1st long weekend to prevent a repeat of this situation, which they frequently encounter on weekends. Thus, throughout the day today, local police prevented cars not belonging to residents from accessing the town center.

Santa Cristina has been suffering for years when the C-31 (a high-capacity road) is full. When there is heavy traffic or stoppages, drivers look for an alternative route through the town's streets, which on summer weekends or long weekends are completely clogged up. Sources from Santa Cristina City Council explain that, to prevent this, officers are carrying out checks at six different points at the entrances to the municipality and are only allowing access to residents or those with a justified reason. The rest are forced to turn back.

In a video distributed by the City Council on social media, the mayor, Josep Xifre, explains that today's measure "is merely a protest, so that the Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) can help and get involved" in finding a solution. Xifre points out that the periodic collapse of the municipality means, among other things, "a strain on local police personnel and an economic cost."

The City Council has issued a statement stating that it is "aware" that the municipality is a crossroads, but that this "does not exempt anyone from their responsibilities when it comes to working to try to find an organizational balance for a return operation that, for the moment, it is managing practically single-handedly in this specific part of the country."

Meeting with the Catalan Traffic Service

"Since our arrival in government, almost two years ago," the local government team adds, "we have periodically requested a meeting with the director of the Catalan Traffic Service, which has never taken place, and who has preferred to deal with the press rather than a City Council asking for help." At the end of 2024, the statement adds, one of the heads of Trànsit met with the City Council and also with those of Castell-Platja d'Aro and s'Agaró to seek measures. According to the council, Trànsit promised to give "a response soon," but at this time it has not yet arrived.

Traffic sources reported by Efe indicate that, upon learning of the action that the Girona town council would carry out, they had asked the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police) and the Santa Cristina Local Police to communicate in order to coordinate traffic in the area and to seek the least possible impact. Furthermore, the Director of Traffic, Ramon Lamiel, told Catalunya Ràdio that he is in contact with local councils to find solutions to the problems in Santa Cristina and to outline what work is needed on bypasses and roundabouts.