Dénia traders start petition against street closure

Premises face shutdown due to lack of customers as alternative parking spaces are too far for many to walk comfortably into town centre

TRADERS and residents on and around Dénia's central boulevard have hit a brick wall in their fight against a total year- round traffic ban – the mayor is determined to go ahead with his plans, whatever they say.

Bar owners, restaurateurs and retailers fear the lack of free parking nearby will put customers off, especially those travelling from out of town and who would be more likely to head for Ondara's El Portal de la Marina shopping centre for convenience, where they can leave their cars right inside.

Residents, visitors and commuters say parking is already impossible in the Marina Alta district capital, and those with mobility problems would be literally housebound.

Mayor Vicent Grimalt argues that Dénia has 3,000 parking spaces ' within a 15- minute walk of the town centre'.

But not everyone who shops, lives or works near the main Marqués de Campo street is able to walk for 15 minutes – and a high number of these parking spaces, which were free of charge until a few years ago, attract a hefty, off- putting fee, according to traders.

The Marqués de Campo was pedestrianised post- lockdown to give bars more table space for social distancing, and it is shut to traffic for part of the day in summer – but the mayor wants to ' promote cycling and walking' and first'.

Some traders say they are facing permanent closure as lack of nearby parking is costing them customers, and daily access to homes and offices is ' a huge problem'.

They have started a petition ' put pedestrians to keep the Marqués de Campo and its side- streets open to cars, at least at key times of the day.

Sr Grimalt insists that his electoral manifesto in 2019 included shutting the boulevard to traffic, and that he is ' only doing what the town voted for'.