The Municipal Inspection services of Funchal City Council were today on Rua de Santa Maria Maior where they removed “urban equipment and furniture that were improperly occupying public areas on this historic street in the city”.
According to a statement, this action “takes place after the local authority notified all traders on Rua de Santa Maria Maior to regularize their situations regarding the occupation of public space”.
“In fact, before today’s action, Funchal City Council had carried out awareness-raising actions in order to put an end to what is, in some cases, an abusive occupation of public space”, highlights the source,
In the same press release, councillor João Rodrigues recalls “that when the requalification of that artery and others in the historic Old Town were carried out, the central corridor of Rua de Santa Maria Maior was made with a different pavement so as to be a free corridor, in particular, for people with reduced mobility, also remembering safety issues, namely in the event of the need to provide assistance to any citizen who needs it”.
The person responsible for Urban Planning and Territorial Planning at the CMF, among other departments, also highlights that “in addition to tables on terraces, there are also size rules (height and width) for menus that are placed on the street, and the same applies to parasols”.
After this action on Rua de Santa Maria, the Municipal Inspection services will move to Rua da Carreira, after the appropriate notifications have been made.
João Rodrigues recalls that he himself has already been on the ground, in awareness-raising actions, and highlights that “the CMF is not creating difficulties for anyone but is only acting in compliance with the law, with particular attention to mobility and security issues, this after the period of the pandemic in which there was an exceptional situation”.
The local authority states that the Municipal Inspection will also operate in other areas of the city, specifically Largo dos Varadouros, Rua dos Tanoeiros and Ponta da Cruz.