Thousands of people are expected to make their way to Mancha Blanca in Lanzarote tomorrow, Saturday 12th September, for one of the island's biggest traditional celebrations, and authorities are urging people to leave their cars at home wherever possible.
More public transport has been organised for the Romería de Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores, with 22 buses being laid on to cope with the expected increase in passenger numbers.
Special services will operate between Arrecife and the celebrations from midday on Saturday, with buses scheduled approximately every 30 minutes during the main period of the pilgrimage.
And those planning on making a full night of it won't have to rush home.
Return services are due to continue until 5:00am on Sunday morning, giving people attending the festivities an alternative to driving.
The transport operation comes alongside extensive road closures and traffic restrictions that will affect several parts of Lanzarote as pilgrims converge on Mancha Blanca.
Buses every 30 minutes
Special outbound buses will leave Arrecife for Mancha Blanca between 12:00pm and 11:00pm tomorrow, with an approximate frequency of one service every 30 minutes.
Return connections will begin at 1:00pm and continue throughout the afternoon, evening and night until 5:00am on Sunday.
However, passengers need to be aware that the exact routes and stopping points will change during the day because of road closures associated with the pilgrimage.
Up until 4:00pm, and again after 11:00pm, services are expected to use Mancha Blanca as their destination where traffic conditions permit.
Between 4:00pm and 10:00pm, however, special outbound services will terminate at Tinguatón, where temporary stops will be established.
Return journeys will similarly operate from either Mancha Blanca or Tinguatón depending on the time and prevailing traffic restrictions.
Anyone planning to use the buses is therefore advised to check the latest information before travelling rather than relying solely on normal timetables.
Major road closures across Lanzarote
Road closures confirmed for the Romeria de Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores.
The scale of the event means travelling by car could prove considerably more complicated.
Seven main roads will be affected by restrictions between Saturday and the early hours of Sunday, including sections of the LZ-20, LZ-30, LZ-46, LZ-56, LZ-58, LZ-67 and LZ-409.
Some closures begin as early as midnight tonight.
The LZ-46 between Tiagua and Mancha Blanca, for example, is due to close completely in both directions from 10:00am tomorrow until 6:00am on Sunday.
The LZ-56 between Mancha Blanca and La Geria will also be closed to general traffic from 8:00am until 6:00am the following morning. That route will become a dedicated corridor for authorised collective public transport during the restrictions.
Other closures and diversions will be introduced at different times throughout Saturday to separate vehicles from the routes being used by pilgrims.
Extra taxis available too
Bus services aren't the only form of public transport being strengthened.
A temporary arrangement will allow additional taxis from other Lanzarote municipalities to operate in Tinajo if local taxis cannot meet demand.
The measure will apply from 9:00pm on Saturday until 5:00am on Sunday.
It will be activated when demand is particularly high and there are insufficient taxis available locally, allowing Tinajo to call on vehicles from elsewhere on the island.
More special buses for the main feast day
The transport operation will continue beyond this weekend. Further special services are planned for Tuesday 15th September, the feast day of Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores.
Following the Merengazo, return buses from Mancha Blanca to Arrecife are scheduled for 3:30am and 4:00am, with additional journeys possible if demand requires them.
For the religious events, special outbound buses from Arrecife will run at 8:00am and 10:00am, with returns at 10:15am and 3:30pm.
There will also be additional buses for the Malú concert, departing Arrecife at 6:00pm and 8:00pm and returning from Mancha Blanca at 11:30pm and midnight.
For anyone heading to Los Dolores tomorrow, the message from the Cabildo is straightforward: with thousands of people expected, substantial road closures in place and public transport significantly reinforced, taking the bus could be considerably easier than taking the car.
