Horse-drawn tourist carriages banned in Arona

[Janet]

The horse-drawn carriage carrying tourists through Playa de Las Américas has now passed into history. After more than ten years offering rides to visitors, albeit with "questionable licence", the concejal de Seguridad del Ayuntamiento de Arona, Manuel Reverón has confirmed that the service has now been made illegal. Sr Reverón said that the two businesses which run the service do not comply with requirements; he added that there had, in any case, been complaints about them, above all from taxi drivers.

The president of Radiotaxis Arona, Juan José Rodríguez Dorta, has confirmed that the carriages are considered by taxi firms to be unfair competition, operating without approved vehicles and the necessary permissions. Animal rights were of concern to some too, who thought it cruelty to drive the horses on tarmac. They argue that such maltreatment damages the touristic image of south Tenerife. Some, however, might see the familiar and colourful carriages' disappearance in Arona itself as harming that image. It surely won't help the municipality given that neighbouring Adeje has two routes for carriages, which operate under licence and bring around €11,000 a year into Ayuntamiento coffers. JA

[Michael]

Eh? I've never seen them. 

[Delderek]

Eh? I've never seen them. 

In twenty years, neither have I!

[Nova]

I saw two a couple of days ago going past the Green Clinic in LA 

[Michael]

In twenty years, neither have I!

I saw two a couple of days ago going past the Green Clinic in LA 

Typical. You wait 20 years and two come along at once. 

[poker]

Seems they were faster than taxis?
Could be thats why we dident see them.

In Belgium we have them for years in tourist spots every body makes rides ( on asfalt ) nobody complains and the horses are well kept , the city earns , the horse owner earns . . .

[Janet]

Everybody seems to be blaming the taxi drivers, and they clearly made some complaint, but I'd put this down to internal Arona politics ... 

[Michael]

Chandra has just chirped in that she remembers seeing one while we were watching the fountain/light display at the Safari Centre one evening a couple of years ago. I must have been looking the other way.