Accessible for all beaches, 75-100% reduction in road taxes for green and disabled vehicles, plus the start of a 90 million euro investment in the holiday destination of Puerto del Carmen.
![Equalitas Vitae Turismo Accessible Playa Los Pocillos Equalitas Vitae Turismo Accessible Playa Los Pocillos]()
Investment
The Ayuntamiento of Tías have been given the green light to start processing building permits for the second stage of the modernisation plan for Puerto del Carmen. This plan is part of the Renovación y Modernización Turística de Canarias which is approved by the Canarian Government and means an investment of 90 million euros into the holiday resort of Puerto del Carmen. Work includes 20 private projects to transform apartment complexes and hotels to a four star standard, as well as renovating shopping centres and creating parking and leisure facilities.
The modernisation plan states that once approved, work must begin within one year of obtaining the license and must be operational within two years from the date of the license. Properties outlined for change include:
Transformed to 4* hotels / aparthotels: Balcón del Mar, Don Paco Castilla, Hotel Floresta & Club Ízaro
Upgraded to 4 key establishments: Harimaguada apartments
Improvements to touristic villas: Alondra, Guataca & Vista del Mar
Modernisation: Hotel San Antonio, Lago Verde & Hyde Park Lane
Shopping Centres: C.C. Costa Mar plus two new centres are planned for Avenida Juan Carlos I & Reina Sofia
Leisure: Rancho Texas plan to expand their facilities to include a rodeo and the Lani group want to construct tourist facilities by C.C. Las Rocas
Accessibility
The mayor of Tías, Pancho Hernández has confirmed that around 250,000 euros has been outlined for work to make the resort of Puerto del Carmen more accessible. Work started in December on the Playa de la Barilla, more commonly known as Playa Chica and has recently expanded to include the area of Playa Los Pocillos.
The council have recognised that over 50 million people with reduced mobility live in Europe and want holiday destinations that have public facilities and transport that are accessible for all. Although some work had already been completed to help the less able around the resort, Puerto del Carmen did not have beaches that were suitable for tourists with mobility difficulties.
The accessible project has been escalated to high priority within the council where in addition to adapting any architectural barriers in the resort, they also want to ensure that there are adequate facilities on the public transport.
Tías have contracted specialists Equalitas Vitae to help with the Plan de Accesibilidad, their first focus will be to advise the shortcomings and work required at Playa Los Pocillos before starting the bigger project of transforming the main beach Playa Grande which includes new ramps and toilet facilities. The primary aim is to convert Playa Grande to be the first beach in all of Lanzarote that is certified as accessible for all.
Pancho Hernández advised that Tías will become the first tourist destination in Lanzarote and innovators within the Canaries to have the award of the first accessible beach. The resort already has the advantage of 4 blue flag awards on each of the major beaches and offer the use of an amphibious chair for people with disabilities or reduced mobility which is available to help them bathe in the sea at Puerto del Carmen.
![Pancho Hernandez recharging an electric car in Puerto del Carmen Pancho Hernandez recharging an electric car in Puerto del Carmen]()
Taxes
A new car tax rule has come into force as of the 1st January 2014 in the municipality of Tías.
All owners of electric or hybrid vehicles who live within the municipality of Tías will receive a discount of 75% from their annual vehicle tax. Further more, 100% discount will be given to owners of disabled vehicles.
The road tax change was published in the Boletín Oficial on the 25th of December 2013 with effect from the 1st of January 2014.
Vehicles that will benefit from a reduction of 75% are clarified as:
I. Electrical , bimodal or hybrid vehicles (electric - gasoline engine , electric or diesel - electric gas).
II . The solar- powered vehicles .
III . Vehicles used exclusively as fuel biogas , natural gas, liquid gas , methane , methanol, or hydrogen derived from vegetable oils .
Cars for handicapped or disabled persons exempt from road tax include:
a) Vehicles for disabled persons referred to in point A annex of II del Reglamento General de Vehículos, aprobado por Real Decreto 2.822/1998, de 23 de diciembre.
b ) Vehicles registered on behalf of disabled people for their exclusive use . This exemption shall apply to the extent that such circumstances prevail ,
both vehicles driven by persons with disabilities and those for transport.
For these purposes will be considered Disabled who have legal status in this grade less than 33 percent.
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