Mayor Álvaro Araújo told Lusa news agency that the placement of cement blocks and pins at the intersection of the EN125 to the towns of Santa Rita and Fábrica, in the parish of Vila Nova de Cacela, was done “unilaterally” by the sub-concessionaire of the road, Rotas of the Algarve Litoral (RAL).

The mayor (PS) has demanded an "urgent intervention" to reverse the situation, until a roundabout is built on the site, as provided for in the road requalification plans, adding that the current solution, implemented last week by the RAL, is preventing traffic access to one of the main tourist complexes in the area, Robinson Quinta da Ria.

“Contrary to what would be expected, it did not solve the serious problem [of road safety] that existed and was identified years ago, but rather aggravated the dangerous situation”, lamented the mayor.

Questioned by Lusa about the intervention carried out at that point, Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) replied that “the aforementioned changes were implemented by the sub-concessionaire Rotas do Algarve Litoral, the entity responsible for managing the EN125”, and had as its “objective to reinforce road safety on site".

The same source assured that the changes introduced to circulation “meet the request of local authorities who warned of the need for a quick intervention at the intersection in question”.

Álvaro Araújo acknowledged having requested, in January, an urgent intervention at the site, with the construction of the roundabout foreseen in the projects for the requalification of the EN125, but rejected the “unilateral” solution adopted last week by the sub-concessionaire, guaranteeing that the autarchy was not even consulted on the implemented measure.

In order to revert the intervention, the municipality indicated to the sub-concessionaire and IP its availability, with the support of the managing company of Robinson Quinta da Ria, to finance a provisional alternative, such as the placement of vertical signs, speed bumps, chromatic bands or traffic lights that limit at speed, until the construction of a roundabout.