Six municipalities in the Vega Baja region have submitted official objections to the regional ministry regarding three new intercity bus services, criticising significant shortcomings and a lack of connection with major hubs. The complaints, coordinated by the PSOE in Orihuela, Albatera, Dolores, Algorfa, Los Montesinos and San Isidro, highlight that the current provisional corridors suffer from insufficient frequencies, isolated towns and poor coordination with the real needs of local citizens.
The criticism follows the launch of three emergency contracts by the Generalitat designed to reinforce mobility between the Vega Baja and Alicante. These provisional routes—including the Orihuela-Alicante route launched in February, the Torrevieja-Alicante route in April, and the latest corridor introduced last Monday, 1st June, —are set to run for two years until two definitive ten-year contracts are awarded. While the Torrevieja-Alicante line (CV-214) is about to go out to tender, the CV-213 Vega Baja-Alicante line is starting from scratch, with its initial project currently open for public comment.
Local leaders are demanding that the regional ministry move beyond reorganising lines on paper to guarantee reliable timetables, functional connections and affordable fares. Key demands include the installation of accessible bus stops with shelters and real-time information systems, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and students.
The municipalities are also calling for the creation of a specific Vega Baja Tariff System featuring social passes for young people, frequent users and vulnerable groups. Furthermore, they have requested that lines 4 and 5 be extended to the Desamparados campus of the Miguel Hernández University in Orihuela, ensuring a mandatory university stop aligned with academic timetables.
The objections also highlight what local representatives describe as territorial discrimination compared to the Alicante metropolitan area. Documents reveal that whilst the CV-213 route covers a population of 1,127,921 inhabitants, the planned annual investment stands at just 4.26 euro per inhabitant, compared to 13.66 euro per inhabitant for the CV-207 Alicante metropolitan contract. Additionally, passengers in Vega Baja face an average fare of 1.86 euro, compared to 1.14 euro in Alicante.
Specific demands have been outlined by each affected municipality:
- Orihuela: Calls for its intermodal station to be modernised through joint funding from the Generalitat, the City Council and ADIF. It requires guaranteed connections to Torrevieja, Elche, the airport, universities and healthcare centres, as well as a year-round connection for the Entrenaranjos residential area.
- Albatera: Demands better stop infrastructure and the incorporation of links to the Mos del Bou, La Granadina and Virgen del Carmen industrial parks.
- Dolores: Seeks improved transport for educational and medical purposes, noting that the current service fails to adequately transport young people to Orihuela, Torrevieja and other towns for post-compulsory studies.
- Algorfa: Requests regular services to Torrevieja and Guardamar, alongside functional connections to Alicante, Elche and the airport, specifically serving the La Finca, Lo Crispín and Montebello urbanisations.
- Los Montesinos: Denounces a reduction in routes compared to previous planning, demanding increased frequencies on the L-6 and 11.B lines to ensure a minimum of four daily return trips starting from 7 am.
- San Isidro: Requests inclusion in the lines heading towards the airport and the University of Alicante, capitalising on its strategic location and railway station.
The PSOE urges the Generalitat to fully review the CV-213 project and evaluate the active emergency corridors using real data before granting final approval. They conclude that public transport cannot be effectively designed from an office without involving the town councils who understand local commuting realities.
