27 Jan, 2023 @ 19:30
1 min read

OLIVE PRESS OPINION: It should be a basic no-brainer to run reliable buses up and down the coast

IT simply beggars belief the state of public transport along the Costa del Sol.

Buses that don’t run on time, drivers who don’t wait at stops if they arrive early, the lack of coordination between the various bus routes and the companies that run them. 

Why have half a million-plus residents and millions of tourists tolerated this pathetic transport system for so many years?

It should be a basic no-brainer to run regular and reliable buses up and down the coast.

And it’s really not a huge logistical challenge.

Decent mobility for residents is a basic human right in any developed country – and surely the need for reducing carbon emissions should today be paramount.

It is simply not acceptable to force 90% of residents to take their cars out onto congested roads on almost every occasion.

It doesn’t even require a massive investment. Installing GPS devices on buses and connecting them up to Google Maps and other transport apps would mean that people might actually know when the next bus is coming.

Avanza Bus
Decent mobility for residents is a basic human right in any developed country – and it’s shocking that bus companies are so content to neglect the essential needs of the people they serve

It would also help tourists to know where the bus stops are and what routes are available.

There are actually dozens if you take into account all the local routes.

Electronic signs could also be installed at bus stops informing travellers when to expect the next bus to arrive.

What joy this would bring to the cleaners, nurses and babysitters that rely on public transport and who help to make our local economy function.

The Junta could even stick card machines on the buses so people don’t need to run to a cash machine before running some more to catch the one bus that comes every two hours.

A reliable late bus service would also be excellent to help ferry night staff home from work or to encourage drinkers to ditch the car to get home.

None of these are revolutionary steps. 

In fact, it’s astonishing that a company like Avanza, responsible for providing much of the public transport along the coast, has not already implemented them as standard.

The Olive Press plans to raise the issue this year, with elections looming.

Come on mayors, councillors and the diputacion… it’s time to step in and help!

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Walter Finch

Walter Finch, who comes from a background in video and photography, is keen on reporting on and investigating organised crime, corruption and abuse of power. He is fascinated by the nexus between politics, business and law-breaking, as well as other wider trends that affect society.
Born in London but having lived in six countries, he is well-travelled and worldly. He studied Philosophy at the University of Birmingham and earned his diploma in journalism from London's renowned News Associates during the Covid era.
He got his first break in the business working on the Foreign News desk of the Daily Mail's online arm, where he also helped out on the video desk.
He then decided to escape the confines of London and returned to Spain in 2022, having previously lived in Barcelona for many years.
He took up up a reporter role with the Olive Press Newspaper and today he is based in La Linea de la Concepcion at the heart of a global chokepoint and crucial maritime hub, where he edits the Olive Press Gibraltar edition.
He is also the deputy news editor across all editions of the newspaper.

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