BARLETTA – In the coastal seaside areas of Barletta, both those of the Ponente and that of the East, the feverish movement is clearly visible in light of the opening of the bathing season by the commercial operators who manage the beaches.
A job, that of preparation, which takes into account a series of complexities linked to public works in progress – mainly on that of Ponente – and improvements to be made which are essential for attracting tourism.
However, there are some very obvious critical issues that need to be remedied in order to make the places hospitable and worthy of being frequented without getting hurt. Rusty railings extremely dangerous for passers-by, concrete walls with obvious signs of aging, maintenance of the existing greenery and, unfortunately, the age-old problem of cleaning due to too many uncivilized people who mistake the beach for a rubbish dump. A phenomenon that, perhaps, could be stemmed by increasing the presence of waste bins.
Fipe Confcommercio: «we hope for work and cleaning in good time» In this sense, the hope on the part of Antonio Quarto, representative of Fipe Confcommercio, to the Municipal Administration is unequivocal in order to connect all the existing works in a suitable time that does not hinder the start of the season itself. «During the meeting held a few weeks ago together with the other trade associations with the mayor Cannito and the maintenance councilor Lucia Ricatti we received reassurances on the delivery date of the works set for 18 June, as well as guarantees on maintenance, at this moment in degraded conditions, with rusty parapets and torn pillars which preclude the safety of users of the seafront”, clarified Quarto.
Then, going into specifics, he adds: «We are also waiting for the cleaning, sanitization and strengthening of the lighting of the only staircase that connects the historic center to the coast road. We therefore ask the municipal administration to promptly follow up on the promises made, given the approach of the bathing season and above all to give a worthy image of our potentially wonderful coastal road under attack in these days of summer temperatures”.
Palmino Canfora, president of Fiba – Confesercenti, also intervenes on an «event of strategic importance for the tourist image of the city of Barletta. We are at the gates of a new summer season and we are preparing as best we can to welcome our guests to the city’s seaside facilities and, despite the concerns and uncertainties about the duration of our concessions, the forecasts are good. We expect a good season in terms of arrivals and tourist presences”, he pointed out.
«I hope that the municipal administration will implement the work and maintenance plan presented to us during the meeting in good time and that we will move from words to actions. – he added -. We have been assured that the works to upgrade the sewer trunk in Ponente will end in the first days of June, I hope that this also means an immediate restoration of the asphalt. We understand that the work on Canal H has entered its final phase.”
Canfora, reasoning on the existing problems, specifies: «We raised the problem of managing the free beaches, asking for a resolving intervention in particular on the bivouacs and camps, especially on weekends, which give a negative image of the city and a series of problems. The situation regarding traffic, parking on the coast roads and the public transport service remains very critical, particularly on weekends.”
President Canfora’s conclusion: «We trust in the Administration’s willingness to improve tourist reception in general, a permanent technical table with employers’ associations that addresses the problems in the field one by one, from seaside resorts to accommodation, from public transport to nightlife and planning ahead can be a good start.”
