The Town Hall of Torrevieja has failed to meet all deadlines related to the implementation of the Low Emission Zone project and the digital transformation of local urban transport, funded by the European Next Generation funds. On May twenty eighth, the government authorised the return of one million six hundred sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty-three euros that had been granted by the Ministry of Transport in August twenty twenty-three, marking a significant setback in the project’s execution.

This failure to execute the subsidised investments almost four years after the initial application has not only resulted in the return of funds but has also accrued interest amounting to over one hundred six thousand euros, which the municipality will now face. The grant application process originally was initiated by the former Director General of Urbanism, Victor Costa Mazón, on September twenty ninth, twenty twenty-one, leading to an initial allocation of three million four hundred thousand euros in February twenty twenty-two.

The Town Hall was expected to acquire new buses and construct new bus stops for urban transport with the allocated funds, but instead, only arrangements for hiring technical staff have been reported so far. By July twenty twenty-four, the Ministry was formally informed that none of the subsidised actions had been undertaken, prompting the government to demand the return of the full amount due to ongoing delays.

Now, the mayor claims that the Low Emission Zone will launch next year without this funding, despite previous assertions that the subsidy would not be lost. The public transport improvement projects aimed at enhancing the urban service remain unresolved, as legal challenges continue to hobble the progression of the proposed contracts. With all these delays, the residents of Torrevieja wait for tangible developments on public transport improvements.