COSTA ALMERIA NEWS: Roquetas de Mar seeks to get street sales in order

ROQUETAS de Mar council is introducing greater controls on street traders in the municipality.
The local authority has approved an Urban Development department instruction aimed at producing better checks on the temporary stalls which pop up, particularly in the summer months.
The administration also wants more controls on the use of cycle tracks and the occupation of public spaces, both of which it says are “very problematic” in high season.
The idea, Urban Development councillor Francisco Gutierrez explained, is to “introduce order” on stalls selling handicrafts, offering hair braiding, or renting out bikes or other personal mobility vehicles in areas where there are large numbers of pedestrians, and especially on the seafront promenades.
The council said the move was something which local tradespeople had been demanding given that until now licence requests have not been linked to a specific location. This has made it difficult for Local Police to control illegal streets sales as vendors without authorisations have been mixed up with those who have authorised stalls.
There have also been problems for people using the cycle tracks due to numerous stalls being set up right next to them.
Gutierrez, along with Environment councilllor Jose Luis Llamas, announced that it will be the local administration will establishes the available locations for these kinds of authorised activities “in accordance with criteria of suitability and logic.”
They also made it clear there will be a limit on the number of licences issued “which will allow for greater and better controls and which will guarantee the full legality and safety of the services offered.”
According to the council the measures will prevent throngs of people gathering in one place and the mix up of illegal with authorised stalls. A further benefit, the administration says, is that it will help to stop vendors who do have handicraft licences and all the necessary permits from offering illegal products and services, “something which up until now has been happening in some cases.”
The Urban Development department will supply anyone interested in acquiring a licence to set up a stall on a public street with a specific form, which will include the locations available for each activity, “in order that it will be possible to limit, group together and prioritise those of higher quality.”
The local authority made it clear preference will be given to traders with a premises in the vicinity of the spaces on offer.
The instruction also addresses the proliferation of bike rental and personal mobility vehicle stalls in areas which get packed with tourists. Gutierrez revealed that the traffic by-law will include new wording on prohibiting the use of electric bikes and scooters on cycle tracks and related to the Directorate General of Traffic instruction on the obligation of having insurance, a licence, a helmet and number plate.