Torremolinos scraps skating ban

A LONG-STANDING controversial bylaw banning skaters and skateboarders from public areas in Torremolinos has been cancelled.
One of the first things new mayor, Jose Ortiz, did after being sworn into office was to cancel the local regulation, one of former mayor Pedro Fernandez Montes’s most criticised measures, which allowed skaters caught on streets and public areas to be fined between €600 and €15,000.
Although slight changes were introduced to the bylaw on various occasions since 1996, the former council refused to cancel it, arguing that skaters and skateboarders were dangerous, caused uneasiness amongst the public and also damaged urban fittings.
The announcement, one of Ortiz’s first, has been met with approval by hundreds of local residents and local groups including No Sin Mis Ruedas (Not Without My Wheels), many of whom were involved in recent protests on wheels against fines issued under the bylaw.
The mayor said: “Torremolinos has always been known for its hospitality and has been a busy tourist destination for more than 50 years. It’s vital for locals and tourists to be free to move about the town however they like as long as they do it in a civil manner.”