The bus company Ruiz Bus has formally challenged the tender conditions for the new urban bus service in Torrevieja. According to Federico Alarcón, secretary of the local government board, this challenge comes as the bidding process nears its conclusion after more than ten years of attempts and failures. With a total budget of one hundred fifteen million four hundred forty thousand and five euros plus VAT for a ten-year concession, the economic viability of the contract is now being scrutinised.

Municipal technicians have already dismissed the challenge, but it has now been forwarded to the Central Administrative Tribunal for Contractual Resources. Ruiz Bus has raised concerns about aspects of the tender that they consider irregular, insisting that such irregularities could threaten the integrity of the bidding process. If the Tribunal accepts the challenge as a precautionary measure, the contracting procedure could be suspended while a decision is made.

Moreover, Ruiz Bus highlights that the current requirements favour large transport corporations, as it demands the winning company to pay nineteen million euros upfront for the new fleet. The local authority, which previously indicated it would finance the fleet itself, has now stated it will pass this cost directly onto the successful bidder, raising concerns about the feasibility for smaller operators.

This challenge and its subsequent review come at a time when the existing public transport permit in the municipality is set to expire, leading to increasing frustrations among users who have endured poor service over the years. The new service promises to introduce more lines and better frequencies, but its rollout remains uncertain until the tribunal’s decision is reached.