Policía Local have fined more than 250 caravans so far this year on Ibiza

Since January 1st, the Environmental Unit (UMA) of the Policía Local of Eivissa has processed 143 reports. Of these, 40 are for camping, that is, for deploying some element such as awnings, tables or chairs, or chocking them. The remaining 103 are for parking in areas not permitted. Almost 500 of the fines from Vila (49) were made yesterday morning, in an action “to dismantle” a settlement detected in park and ride parking of es Gorg, an action that has been carried out, curiously, after the information. “The Policía Local of Eivissa has not stopped the controls in relation to the caravans,” say the Consistory, which recalls that Vila’s municipal ordinance of coexistence “does not prohibit” the parking of these vehicles except in the park and ride parking, “but there are restrictions that affect camping”. The problem in the latter case, they confirm, is that it has to be demonstrated, that is, that at the time the agents come they must have the doors open or some element deployed on the outside of the vehicle. In the same way, it clarifies that the ordinance does not apply in the case that these vehicles are on private land, “unless the owner asks the police for help”.

Until yesterday morning’s action, Vila had filed 31 complaints for camping and 63 for parking in prohibited areas. In other words, one out of three of them had been processed in the last 24 hours. In the dismantling of the settlement of es Gorg, in which in addition to caravans several tents were located, nine complaints were filed for camping and 40 “for parking in a parking lot in which it is marked that only the parking of cars is allowed”. The UMA immobilized five caravans “since the offenders were not in the area at the time and being foreigners are required to pay the penalty at the time the record is drawn up,” says the Consistory, which details that the economic sanctions range between 750 and 3,000 euros.

Caravans in Cala Llenya and Cala Nova

Cala Llenya and Cala Nova are the enclaves of Santa Eulària where the most caravans are concentrated, explained the City Council, which details that in 2022,  87 sanctions “for illegal camping in natural areas” of the municipality have been processed. A figure that the Consistory describes as “important”, as well as the number of warnings received: 112 calls to the Local Police.

Three out of four of the sanctions (of 200 euros) that have been processed were for camping in Cala Llenya (37) and Cala Nova (28), although there are also open files from other areas: Cala Martina, Pou des Lleó, s’Estanyol, s’Aigua Blanca and the area of La Joya. A spokesman for the City Council explains that the first step, whether the case has been reported or has been detected by the agents is “to verify that it can be proven that there is an overnight stay, because if it is only the vehicle there are many areas in which parking is not prohibited. They are informed of the prohibition of free camping and that they have three campsites in the municipality before taking their data and that of the vehicle, “with the warning that if they are found again they will be fined.” The deadline given to them is 24 hours. In addition, they are obliged to pick up the waste they have left in the area. “If they refuse, in addition to the fine for camping, they are sanctioned through the garbage regulations,” says this spokesman, who indicates that this warning is made “because the objective is not to punish.” The City Council of Santa Eulària points out that they are “concerned” about the risk of fire, dumping and accumulated dirt generated by caravans.

For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.