Around 10,000 visitors a day are expected to travel to La Palma over the bank holiday weekend to take the once in a lifetime opportunity of observing the volcanic eruption in person, something that the technical director of Pevolca, Miguel Ángel Morcuende, has thanked them for as they are contributing to help boost the island's economy, stressing again that this shows that La Palma is safe, something he has been saying for weeks.
Due to this extended weekend, the La Palma Cabildo and the management of Pevolca have launched a free ‘park and ride’ bus service to go to and see the Cumbre Vieja volcano safely. Visitors are reminded that masks, hats, and clothes that cover arms and legs are advised for protection, and many people also sported goggles and carried umbrellas to protect themselves from falling ash.
The buses leave every 20 minutes from the old Buenavista airport in Breña Alta (where there is a large parking area), to the church square of Tajuya, in the municipality of El Paso, where you can see the volcano from the viewpoint.
The service hours for these three days are from 10:00am to 10:40pm for buses going to the Church square, with the last return from Tajuya at midnight.
The Tajuya viewpoint has become a place of pilgrimage for those who want to observe the volcanic eruption over the last 42 days, and yesterday the increase in visitors was particularly noticeable and it remained crowded throughout the day, an image that will be repeated today and Monday.
Morcuende emphasized that the shuttle buses have been implemented to ensure safety and to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles by preventing traffic jams usually seen, for example, when it snows at Mt Teide, especially as there is no parking on the roads in the vicinity of the church of Tajuya, so people are wasting their time trying to go there themselves.
Given the expected high influx of visitors this weekend, it was agreed to restrict the access of private vehicles in the vicinity of the volcano, and only allow mobility to residents, for work, and for justified reasons.
