CYCLIST KILLED AT ATAJATE BLACK SPOTFive road deaths in five years
By David Eade – Costa del Sol News
The fifth person in five years to die on a treacherous bend on the A-369 Ronda to Algeciras road was killed in an accident at Atajate last Thursday morning.
The tragedy happened at 8.40 when a group of cyclists travelling in the direction of Algeciras rounded the bend on the approach to Atajate. One of the group, a 72 year-old Dutchman, fell from his bike. He was struck by a car travelling in the opposite direction and died at the scene.
When the Guardia Civil and ambulance services arrived the driver of the vehicle, a local man from the Serranía, explained to officers that the cyclist was lying in the road and there was nothing he could do to avoid him. Needless to say he was in a very distressed state.
The A-369 has now been transformed with a 26 million euro investment into a scenic tourist route between Ronda and Gaucín. However residents of the Valle del Genal have long been concerned about various accident black spots along the road including the stretch between the Fraile mirador and the village of Atajate.
There is a sharp bend; neither the road nor the shoulder are sufficiently wide for vehicles, motorbikes or cyclists to pull off in an emergency. The majority of people who have perished on this stretch of road have been motorists or cyclists.
In addition to the road deaths there are frequent accidents and the verge is littered with broken glass, pieces of bikes, vehicle parts due to numerous collisions. Some residents have placed a cross on the bend in memory of those who have died here.
With the latest death the Málaga delegation of public works has promised it will study the bend which has been responsible for so many deaths to see what improvements can be made. Sadly this comes too late for the five people who have died to date and residents can only hope that number will not increase before action is taken.
NIGHT VIEW
In order to boost the number of people staying in Ronda for the night the tourism office has arranged for monuments such as the Palacio de Mondragón, Casa del Gigante and Los Baños Árabes to open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Participating hotels and restaurants will be able give their guests free entrance tickets, however other visitors will have to pay.
BAR DEATH
Tragedy in Benaoján where last Wednesday a 39-year-old woman died after falling down the stairs of her bar. The accident happened at 20.30 as she was cleaning and the Guardia Civil believe she was overcome by the fumes from the liquids she was using. The bar in the plaza San Marcos had been closed for holidays and was being cleaned thoroughly before re-opening.
CANNABIS PLANTS
After an investigation lasting six weeks Guardia Civil found 71 cannabis plants of varying sizes in a house in the outlying La Atalaya area of Cañete la Real. Officers say the haul had a value of 8,000 euros. The plants were being reared in an outhouse on the property. In addition a young man in Gaucín has been arrested for rearing seven plants.
ANGRY FARMERS
The agricultural community in Ronda has been displaying its anger over the fact that the rural roads and lanes that were severely damaged in last winter’s rains have yet to be repaired. Francisco Cañestro, the councillor responsible, has promised an action plan to prioritise the worst roads but the farmers have threatened protests unless an immediate start is made especially in Los Villalones.
RESCUE PRACTICE
There was a sense of reality when Ronda fire brigade held a rescue practice at the Tajo gorge. The date coincided with the arrival of heavy rains which made the simulated rescue even more challenging. Eighteen fire fighters took part in the practice which formed part of their training course. The rescue was staged in the rugged Los Molinos zone of the gorge.
PLAZA ROW
The Partido Popular are furious with plans by the ruling socialists to name the plaza that will be formed on the site of the now demolished Concepción barracks after the PSOE activist Pablo Iglesias. Apparently plaques bearing his name have been delivered to the town hall. The PP says there are more suitable candidates as he does not represent the whole town.
GOYESCO MUSEUM
The association of Peñas in Ronda has asked the town hall to create a museum dedicated to the traditional Goyesca bullfight held every year as part of the Pedro Romero fair. This year was the 54 th at which the Damas Goyescas, in beautiful dresses from the Goya era, took part. The administration has welcomed the idea and will study the proposal.
CHESTNUT HARVEST
The chestnut harvest is here and the residents of 15 municipalities in the Valle del Genal will take to the hills to gather them in. It’s expected that the chestnuts this year will numerous in quantity and of a high quality. However it’s not yet known what price the tree owners can expect for their harvest which is sought after nationally and internationally.
