Drivers in San Miguel de Salinas are continuing to contest fines issued by a traffic light with a photographic enforcement system on Galant Delgado Street, eight months after it was introduced. The device controls a narrow stretch of road between Plaza de la Libertad and the Local Police station, alternating traffic in each direction.
Motorists argue that a series of irregularities undermine the system. They say warning signs are positioned on the left rather than the right of the carriageway in some approaches, making them difficult to see. They have also measured the amber phase at around two seconds, below the three seconds recommended by the Directorate-General for Traffic and European standards.
Each penalty carries a €200 fine, reduced to €100 for early payment, and the loss of four licence points. Some drivers report receiving multiple sanctions for the same location, published through the Official State Gazette, and question the proportionality of the enforcement. They also claim there is no specific municipal by-law regulating the use of photographic control devices.
The council, led by PSOE and IU, has defended the measure, stating that drivers had been routinely ignoring the red light and that offences have since fallen. The opposition Partido Popular, supported by Vox, has tabled a motion calling for the system’s removal, arguing it is not justified by the area’s accident record.
This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publication.