National
600 traffic radar are controlling the roads of Spain this Easter
By m.p.
Mar 18, 2008 - 8:45 PM

The second phase of the Traffic Authority’s Operación Salida, when Spaniards drive out of the main cities for the Easter break, is already underway in some regions where this Wednesday, 19th March, is also a public holiday. It affects Castilla-La Mancha, Valencia, Galicia, Murcia, Navarra and the Basque Country, and on Wednesday extends to much of the rest of the country. Thursday is a working day in Cataluña, and so the operation there starts a day late.

Traffic police are controlling the roads for the Semana Santa Operación Salida across Spain with 600 radar – more than 300 fixed, and another 300 mobile – with reinforcements of 600 Civil Guard brought in to bring numbers up to 9,800. Also new this Easter is the reformed penal code introduced last year which makes certain driving infractions a criminal offence.

A Traffic Authority campaign is underway in the media, on the Internet and on road panels, in an attempt to reduce the number of deaths on the roads. 103 people died during this period last year, and figures for the first phase of the 2008 Holy Week getaway this past weekend have shown a reduction on 2007. Seventeen people lost their lives on Spanish roads between 3pm on Friday and 8pm on Sunday, which is half the number who died at the same time a year ago.

The Traffic Authority is advising drivers to avoid peak travelling times, and notes tailbacks of up to 300 kms in some places last Easter. 15.6 million journeys are expected to be made on Spanish roads this holiday week.

The return operation starts on Saturday afternoon, except for some regions where Monday is also a holiday.