Estepona’s ‘roundabout Of The Ants’ Continues To Rack Up Accidents; Residents Decry ‘criminal Negligence’

The notorious “Las Hormigas” roundabout, astatine nan Arroyo Vaquero exit connected nan A-7 successful Estepona, has erstwhile again been nan segment of aggregate accidents, pinch 2 abstracted incidents occurring connected Saturday, November 15 alone. Residents estimate that nan mishap achromatic spot has seen six car crashes successful nan past week, pinch incidents occurring almost daily.

Locals from Arroyo Vaquero and La Vaguada person been urgently sounding nan siren for years complete nan inherent dangers of nan area, complaining of a deficiency of lighting, mediocre signage, damaged guardrails, and bent signs that stay unrepaired aft erstwhile vehicles had deed them.

Authorities’ consequence deemed ‘insufficient’

The community’s frustration is compounded by what they spot arsenic a deficiency of effective action from nan Demarcación de Carreteras (Highways Department).

“This occurs each week,” lamented 1 resident, saying that nan Highways Department “does not enactment beyond placing a cone” connected nan road, a measurement wide considered insufficient fixed nan wave of nan collisions.

The constricted consequence comes contempt a mounting toll of incidents since August. A conveyance was incinerated aft leaving nan road, respective cars person ended up disconnected nan asphalt, and different driver struck nan roundabout while attempting to swerve to debar an animal.

Residents pass that nan existent business could lead to an mishap pinch acold much superior consequences if contiguous steps are not taken to reappraisal velocity limits, amended signage, and upgrade nan infrastructure. The problem is worsened by nan absence of safe pedestrian crossings successful a area frequented by children and young people.

Reader claims ‘criminal negligence’

The ongoing situation has provoked outrage among nan community, including Euro Weekly News scholar Tony, who shared his heavy concerns astir nan creation and attraction of nan roundabout. He believes nan authorities are failing to enactment responsibly.

“The roundabout connected nan A7 adjacent Mercadona travelling towards Estepona has knowledgeable hundreds of accidents, arsenic witnessed by nan kerb connected nan roundabout and nan authorities of nan Armco obstruction astatine nan exit. It’s not difficult to spot why,” Tony told nan paper.

He elaborate really nan roundabout’s creation and deficiency of visibility are awesome factors. “When approaching astatine night, nan roadworthy earlier it is curved, and your first sighting of nan ’roundabout’ is immoderate trees connected nan sky successful nan centre of it… isolated from nan trees are not successful nan centre,” Tony explained. “There is simply a very ample area of nan roundabout to nan near which is nan portion that gets hit, launching cars complete nan roundabout into nan barriers connected nan exit.”

Tony besides pointed retired an alarming infrastructural omission: “To adhd to these features, it is nan only roundabout betwixt Sotogrande and Estepona that does not person a roundabout motion connected it nor chevrons aliases immoderate shape of lighting.”

Insisting that simple, low-cost measures could prevention lives and money, Tony concluded: “It would beryllium truthful easy for nan authorities to correct this business for a fewer 100 euros… Recently location was a car truthful badly burnt retired that I do not cognize what make it was. This criminal negligence by nan authorities can’t continue.”

Neighbourhood groups are insisting connected nan request for contiguous involution to guarantee safety. Meanwhile, Estepona’s “black roundabout” continues to accumulate incidents and awaken profound fearfulness among residents, who interest that adjacent time, nan consequences will not beryllium constricted to worldly damage.