The escalators connecting Sant Joan square with El Canyeret, in Lleida, have been out of service for at least half a year, a situation that again makes access to the courts and one of the most used pedestrian connections to overcome the 10-meter difference between both points difficult.
Neighbors, merchants, and regular users agree that the installation has not been working normally for months. The last time it was operational was during the Autumn Festivities, at the end of last September. It was then put into operation for barely two or three days due to institutional events and shortly after it broke down again.
"They worked two or three days for the institutional events, but shortly after they broke down again and since then they have not been put back into operation" - court official
A key access with barriers for many users
The prolonged breakdown fully affects mobility in a busy area of the center of Lleida. The elevator located next to the well-known flan of Sant Joan is now the only barrier-free way to access the courts from the square, although it also does not offer satisfactory operation, according to several workers in the area.
One of them assures that the elevator presents a deficient state and transmits a feeling of abandonment. Another employee summarizes the discomfort from the daily use of this access, which they consider insufficient to absorb all the passage of people with reduced mobility, the elderly, or users with difficulties in overcoming the level difference on foot.
"It's dirty, it's slow, and it gives the feeling of abandonment. Any day now it will stop working" - worker from the environment
The lack of alternatives has sometimes forced us to help people get on or off the Canyeret, as the escalators are also out of order. The situation has been going on for a while. Yolanda, an employee of a business in the area, assures that the escalators were already stopped before she started working there, six months ago.
Complaints about dirt, vandalism, and lack of surveillance
In addition to the accessibility problem, merchants and workers in the area denounce a visible deterioration in the space. Some employees assure that the area has become a usual gathering point for young people, with accumulation of garbage and episodes that worsen the poor condition of the facility.
"It has become a constant meeting point for young people, as if it were a nightclub. They throw down fences, leave trash, and the appearance is horrible" - Yolanda, a shop employee
Óscar, owner of another establishment, maintains that the lack of surveillance contributes to the problem becoming chronic. In his opinion, the constant presence of groups at the bottom of the stairs causes blockages and damage to the mechanisms.
"There are always groups below, they press the buttons, block the way and end up ruining everything. Without surveillance, this continues the same" - Óscar, owner of an establishment
The criticisms also focus on the impact that the breakdown has on people with more mobility difficulties. Rosa, another worker from the area, denounces that there are users who directly cannot get on.
"It's third-world. There are elderly people and people with crutches who cannot go up. It's inadmissible" - Rosa, a worker from the area
The city council studies a comprehensive renovation
The city council is considering a comprehensive renovation of the escalators. La Paeria admits that the maintenance of this infrastructure is increasingly costly and complicated due to the age of the machinery and the difficulty in finding spare parts.
The escalators entered service in June 1992 and are about to turn 34 years old. Since then, breakdowns have been frequent and it has been common for them to remain out of service for days or even weeks.
The council considers it essential to maintain an effective connection at this point, given its usefulness to overcome the significant difference in level between Sant Joan square and Canyeret. While that renovation does not arrive, the image offered by one of the most visible accesses to the judicial environment remains marked by the breakdown, neighborhood complaints and uncertainty about when it will be operational again.