Cristina Hodgson
MARBELLA has launched a plan to extinguish its horse carriage rides within three years.
There are currently 19 horse-drawn carriage licences in the city.
Felix Romero, spokesperson for Marbella City Council, announced this Tuesday that Marbella will allocate €330,000 this year to redeem some ten licenses.
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“It is in the public interest for this Corporation to establish measures that could lead to a reduction in the number of licences,” Romero said.
The withdrawal of the licences would be carried out in three years ‘on a voluntary basis’ by the owners of the horse-drawn carriage service, the counsellor added.
“There is a budget allocation of €330,000 already planned for this financial year to redeem about 10 licences, which will be increased until the revocation of the 19 concessions is completed in 3 years.” Romero said.
Each licence has been valued at €30,500, an amount that, according to Romero ‘cannot be negotiated’ because they are the result of an ‘independent and external assessment’.
The withdrawal of the horse carriage city tour comes following the difficulty the carriages have in providing the service after pedestrianising many streets in the centre that formed part of its tourist circuit.
At no time did Romero mention the suffering of horses in the sun, rather that carriages no longer have a place in the city.
