Do Planners Consider The Vulnerable?

ONE elderly resident of Fuengirola has written to Euro Weekly News explaining the problems that the elderly, disabled and parents with young children face when ‘gentrification’ of whole streets takes place.

Obstacle course

Problems have arisen in the past but the latest inconvenience concerns the works being undertaken in Calle Palangreros which she considers has become a dangerous obstacle course for those that have to have access to their properties.

Now in her eighties, this lady has some difficulty in walking and complains that due to the steep slope entering Plaza El Yate from Calle Nueva it is now impossible for her to negotiate the area.

It was quite accessible before the work started but now the ground is rough and uneven and the pavement is too narrow with obstacles on it.

Potential danger

This doesn’t just affect her but the area is impassable for those who are really disabled and very difficult and potentially dangerous for parents with young children in pushchairs or prams.

In her opinion, the blueprint should have seen the water pipes 12 inches deeper which would have made life much easier for everyone.

Danger of falling

At her age, she needs to be able to take some gentle exercise and she used to enjoy walking to Plaza El Yate for a coffee and orange juice but now she is scared to do so because of the danger of falling.

Our reader does appreciate all that the Mayor of Fuengirola has done to make the town more modern and look much better but her plea is that planners look further than just the refurbishment of roads and infrastructure and remember that their actions can negatively affect other residents who are vulnerable but still pay their taxes as well.

New roadworks

This is not a recent problem as whole stretches of roads have been ripped up and replaced over the last decade causing the same type of problems for those who are not completely able bodied and the latest works started on October 18 in Calle República Argentina.