Residents and drivers have criticised an artificial intelligence traffic system at the Rocío del Mar–Punta Prima roundabout, on the N-332 between Torrevieja and Orihuela. The system was introduced in May to reduce congestion at one of the busiest points in the Vega Baja, where almost 40,000 vehicles pass each day.

The system uses traffic lights, cameras and data collection equipment to adjust traffic flows. However, residents say it has prioritised traffic on the N-332 while worsening queues on Las Olas and Escorpiones avenues. Las Olas is particularly affected because it provides the only route to the national road for several residential areas.

Delays on the N-332 towards Torrevieja have sometimes extended for more than a kilometre, while queues have also affected nearby streets. Drivers have complained that the traffic lights switch between flashing amber and red in ways they find difficult to predict, leading to frustration and repeated horn use.

The experimental project cost €409,369 and was funded through the European Union’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. Transport officials have described it as Spain’s first use of this technology at a roundabout on the state road network. Residents say they want a long-promised dual carriageway upgrade for the N-332, but there has been no recent progress publicly announced.