Users have been protesting for many years about their inability to park, particularly on Thursday Market Day, in an area close to the Orihuela Costa Medical Centre. This makes it exceedingly difficult for many wishing to attend appointments.
The public bus service in Orihuela Costa is almost laughable, making it necessary for patients to visit the medical centre by car. On arrival they either have to park illegally, risking police sanctions, or park up to a couple of kilometres away, thereby ensuring a long walk to the centre, which for many is impossible.
This is because all available parking spaces are taken up by market traders, who arrive early in the morning and occupy adjacent streets and the Medical Centre Car Park, until early afternoon. Thereafter, users of the municipal market then take up the few remaining street spaces.
Orihuela Costa is known to have an ageing population, many of whom require regular medical attention. In many cases these are older people who are frail and have mobility problems, and because of their walking difficulties, they need to park in close proximity to the medical centre.
While there is a well-situated car park adjacent to the centre, because of the traders vans and lorries, parking in it on market day is not an option, yet appeals to the council have been completely ignored. Perhaps the Councillor for the Coast, Snr Mestre, ought to make a point of visiting the area on Market Day, with his infamous notepad, in order to evaluate the problem first hand.
Perhaps he would then consider closing the car park on Thursdays to all but medical centre users.
While the centre staff have their own dedicated car park, no consideration is being given by this council to elderly patients.
