The Parish Council of Santa Cruz says that it is receiving record numbers of complaints from residents, passers-by, and local businessmen, denouncing the “dangerous driving situations of several young employees (drivers) of rent-a-car companies, which put the safety and life of the population at risk.”
“Failure to comply with the maximum speed within the localities, disrespect for pedestrian crossings, properly marked parking areas, speed bumps, as well as dangerous overtaking in areas of low visibility and next to residential areas are some of the examples listed by the population,” said a spokesperson for the local authority.
As an example, the President of the Parish Council, Paulo Alves, speaks of situations narrated by residents who say they were forced to throw themselves into a plot of land next to the road, otherwise “they would have been run over”.
“As there are currently 181 registered car rental companies in the region, many of them with cars in spaces close to the airport, there are several situations in which the employees of these car rental companies circulate at excessive speed on streets such as: Rua São Fernando, Rua do Cano, Estrada Santo António da Serra, Estrada Regional 207 – Trás do Aeroporto, Rua São Sebastião, Rua Fábrica Burnay, Avenida 25 de Junho and exit from the highway to Rua de São Pedro, when they move to prepare and/or wash the cars.”
The same source states that in view of these complaints from the population and passers-by, a meeting was held, at the request of the Parish Council, with the presence of officials from the Municipality of Santa Cruz and the local Public Security Police, where residents and local businessmen concerns were discussed, as well as a request for a greater police presence within the Parish.
“Thinking about the safety of people, passers-by, and even the drivers themselves, those responsible for the governance of the parish of Santa Cruz, call for rent-a-car companies, with cars in the parish of Santa Cruz, to ensure that their activities do not injure or endanger the lives of the local populous.
Samantha Gannon
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
