Annabel Grossman
ANGRY travellers have complained about the abusive treatment from bus drivers following a shake-up of the coastal routes.
Dubbed ‘Bus Wars’ by locals, Estepona’s new urban line has left some passengers stranded at bus stops and others kept on board against their will.
In what is believed to be a business deal agreed with the town hall, the new Autocares Ricardo service has resulted in a shake-up of the well-established and popular Portillo line.
Expat Alan Harris, 57, who has used the Portillo line for over a decade, was left fuming when a bus stopped to take on passengers, but wouldn’t let him and his wife off.
In a bizarre state of affairs, when they then walked to the front of the bus and tried to get off there, the driver blocked their way and shouted at them.
“He insisted that as we had paid to go to Guadalmina we could not get off before,” said the puzzled Cancelada resident.
Eventually they were forced to push past the driver, who started screaming at them as they got off.
Baffled tourist, Ian Jones, from North Wales, also experienced problems after boarding the same bus in Estepona town to Villacana.
The driver would not allow Jones to leave the bus at a usual stop, and he was instead forced to travel to San Pedro before he could get off.
Jones was then left to board another bus to travel back to the destination he had already passed.
“Surely in these difficult times tourists should be encouraged to come here rather than antagonising them like this!” he added.
It emerges that the problem has come since a new route, the L2, was introduced, which is meant to stop at all the local stops, while the Portillo bus is meant to now be an express bus.
“However this does not explain why it stops to pick up passengers,” said Harris.
Spain is different. Didn’t they know that?
a lot of people in Spain in minor positions of authority are basically ignorant people
no management training or experience
reason Spain has so many motorways with hardly any traffic
airports fully staffed no flights
Also when property boom was going local authorities were receiving millions in planning permission and so on
local authorities largely run by people with humble rural backgrounds add a bit of corruption and you see where millions went missing and proper protocols were not followed
The comment above by Robert is typical of the holier than thou attitude of many ex pat Britains living in Spain, who whilst enjoying the climate have little or no knowledge of the country itself, nor do they have any imtention of integrating into Spanish society and culture. They simply want little Britain in the sun. In this case it seems they have found it, as british bus drivers are reknowned for their ignorance and high hand authoritarianism – kids not allowed on buses to get home late at night, wheelchair users being prevented from boarding for health and safety reasons, the list is endless. May I suggest Robert that you move to Skegness and buy yourself a sun lamp.
Portillo’s monopoly should have broken long time ago. If this is the first step I welcome it.
Spot on M Schubert