Tavira Council has responded to criticism that has been made in recent days by the "Tavira Sempre" civilian social media movement, which wants to halt the construction of a new bridge over the Gilão River, due to it “bringing more cars to the historic city centre, in a project that never included any public consultation involving the population and which has been harshly criticized for the evident lack of sensitivity.”
For the Socialist Party councillors, in the recent decades and “through many past municipal executives, nobody has brought up the usefulness of the old metal bridge used by pedestrians and vehicles as being a vital crossing in the dynamics and attractiveness of downtown Tavira and mobility of its residents and visitors”.
What they take issue with here is that the “old, degraded and insecure structure”, which has been closed to traffic for about 3 years, “will be replaced by a new, functional and accessible one prepared for people with reduced mobility”, which they don’t see an issue with.
In a statement, they said that the construction process of the new bridge "has been public for many years, as the work was planned to be done in the last 3 electoral programs of the PS in the municipality”. The councillors also point out that the City Council has its own funds for the work, having been selected from amongst several proposals and disclosed to anyone who had an interest in expressing their opinion.
The new bridge under construction is for mostly pedestrian and cycling use, with one car lane, which the officials say is a “justifiable option to allow all possibilities of use in the future, especially for emergency and safety vehicles", they explain in the same statement. They claim that the public garden will remain a charming part of Tavira, and that the downtown will continue to be “for the people”.
The PS says they respect those who have dissenting beliefs and ideas, "but we will not allow misinformation about structuring and decisive projects for the city."
The councillors reaffirm in the same document their support for mayor Ana Paula Martins and all members of the executive in the fulfilment of the electoral program "voted for universally and democratically, by the Tavirenses.
In conclusion, the party underlines that “instead of launching a campaign against the municipality on social media, with much false information included, the Tavira Sempre movement should first make it clear what their true intentions are.”
