It was a thrilling morning for beachgoers using the Molo Borbonico pier in Ercolano, where there are two private beach clubs, Antico Bagno la Favorita and Lido Angels, as well as two public beaches, the pride of the Buonajuto administration. This morning, an ambulance, alerted by a beachgoer about a woman's sudden illness, found itself having to descend the narrow alley leading to the beaches, blocked by oncoming traffic and unable to reverse due to other vehicles approaching from behind. To resolve the impasse, several nearby residents opened the gates to their private park to allow the ambulance to maneuver. However, they subsequently contacted the local police. The entire area is closed to traffic, yet the order is not always enforced, and numerous cars arrive in the area and park there. The police have issued numerous reports and recorded license plate numbers. A motorcyclist on his scooter refused to provide his name, arguing with the police and shoving each other, according to witnesses. The motorcyclist then fled but was quickly identified by the license plate. He appears to be a nurse who lives in the area.
Vigorous protests from bathers and managers of the two beaches who feel penalized. The municipality of Ercolano has in fact proudly boasted in recent weeks of having set up a beach free of charge for citizens, also installing showers and a fountain. The fountain was stolen, the showers were broken, all a few hours later, but despite this, the mayor Ciro Buonajuto, after an outburst on social media, had taken steps to restore the state of the places. In the following days, however, a ban on access to the area was placed. Numerous protests from bathers: "they put in the shower but they prevent us from reaching the beach!". In fact, the Municipality has prohibited access to the area with their own cars and then closed the access gates of the Della Favorita park where there is a large parking area so that those who diligently park their cars in the park, in the designated place, cannot then reach the beaches. But there is more. There is a large parking area in the areas, not exactly nearby, however, held hostage by illegal parking attendants. No problem for adults to park their car in that area and then walk there, however it is cruel to the vulnerable, such as pregnant women, sick people, children and the elderly, to force them to walk all that way. The municipality could solve this by providing a good continuous shuttle service from the parking area to the beaches, but instead it preferred to show its muscles with a nurse living in the area and with the vulnerable subjects mentioned above.
There is also controversy over the chemical toilets provided by the municipality for bathers and disabled people who use the free beach: they have been positioned far from the free beach!
In Ercolano, bathrooms are placed for swimmers but they are placed far from the beaches. A beach is fixed but its access is obstructed. Excellent services are provided that the administration boasts about but then citizens are prevented from using those services. Without considering that no facilities have been arranged for residents or commercial operators.
George Kontovas
EDITORIAL TEAM
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