The Pilar de la Horadada Town Council has redesigned its urban public transport system, introducing a new accessible bus that is free for all patrons. Rufino Lancharro, the Councillor for Public Services, stated this Wednesday that the intercity bus will be “free for everyone and adapted for people with reduced mobility” for the first time in Pilar de la Horadada. Additionally, he said that passengers “will be able to access the route in real time and see how long until the bus arrives at each stop” thanks to the bus’s internet connection.
22 stops
The major cities of Mil Palmeras, Torre de la Horadada, El Mojón, Pilar de la Horadada, and Pinar de Campoverde are connected by the regular urban public transit line. The daily serviceruns from 9:00 AM to 1:45 PM, with the exception of July and August, when it runs nonstop from 9:00 AM until 9:50 PM.
Schedules and frequencies will be available on the “infobus post” at each of the 22 stops, as well as online at www.bus.pilardelahoradada.org.
The Autocares La Inmaculada has been awarded the contract for 97,608 euros per year, with a decrease of 14,000 euros from the initial tender price (VAT included). The tender is for the next four years with the possibility of an extension.
The company that ultimately won the contest, which is situated in San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, and operates in both Murcia and the Vega Baja region, only filed one bid. Seven months after the contract was granted in November 2025, the service was introduced.
Encouragement of public transport
The promotion of public transit in this municipality in the Vega Baja region, which has a population of over 24,000, is cited in the contract as justification for the free service. The municipal argument states that encouraging the use of public transport lowers pollution emissions and improves air quality by reducing the number of private automobiles on the road.
“Everyone has access to mobility thanks to free transport, regardless of their financial circumstances. According to the contract, this is particularly crucial for vulnerable populations like the elderly, those with impairments, and those with low incomes.
Diminished mobility
With 16 seats and one designated area for those with limited mobility, the vehicle is totally free. In addition to stating that they plan to “increase passenger numbers” and that future tenders may “include more routes to improve efficiency,” Councillor Lancharro defended the free urban bus service by citing the goal of “promoting and encouraging residents to opt for more environmentally sustainable mobility.”
Reachable
However, because inclusion is a top priority for José María Pérez Sánchez’s Popular Party government team, the bus “is adapted with a lifting platform that makes it possible for people with reduced mobility to use the free passenger transport service” for the first time in Pilar de la Horadada’s history, the Councillor for Public Services noted.
