Costa Blanca

Alicante’s Low Emissions Zone

Unlike in other cities, Alicante’s downtown will not see new limits on private car circulation as a result of the ZBE’s adoption. With the installation of numerous environmental sensors and surveillance cameras, however, the municipal government team guarantees that it will enable better management of atmospheric pollutant volumes in real time.

Sensors for the environment

There is no significant pollution problem in Alicante. Actually, out of all the major cities in Spain, several studies have found that ours is the cleanest. Still, we’re taking a number of targeted steps to bring it down even further. Our new infrastructure will be a huge boon, says Manuel Villar, our deputy mayor and environmental sustainability councillor.

The city’s Benalúa Market, Bullring, José Rico Pérez stadium, Station, and General Hospital are among the locations where fourteen sensors have been set up. When these readings reach dangerously high levels, the City Council will be able to take action, including temporarily shutting down traffic, based on the data.
Typically, the haze that occasionally originates from the Sahara is the culprit responsible for the most severe pollution incidents that Alicante experiences, rather than cars. But we haven’t gotten particularly extreme in recent years, and I don’t see the need to do something drastic. According to the deputy mayor, “at least we’ll have objective data to act objectively” now.

Cameras that record

To further keep an eye on traffic, new video surveillance cameras have also been set up. Although optical cable has been laid that might encompass as many as 300 recording devices, only about 100 have been operational so far.
“These cameras will not be used to fine drivers, but rather to provide us with information that will allow us to improve mobility in the city and to redirect traffic flows in order to reduce traffic congestion,” Villar points out.
Officially, the ZBE encompasses the Old Town, the Traditional Centre, and Gran Via, which together form three rings. Finally, this final zone will implement traffic limits in the same manner that they have done since 2011. So, these streets are off-limits to everyone save residents, garage owners, and employees. Sanctions will be implemented, and fines will shortly be increased.
Fines for cars that don’t follow the ZBE’s rules have been increased, according to a deal struck by the Federation of Municipalities. According to the Alicante traffic ordinance, they are currently around 80 euros, but Villar tells us they will likely climb to around 200 euros.
Greater urban density
The sea wind certainly helps Alicante’s air quality, which typically scores well on quality assessments; however, our city’s population has been growing at a large rate for a number of years.
We had 328,000 registered users a decade ago, and by the end of 2024, we had 359,000. Thanks to this change in population distribution, we are now the tenth most populous city in Spain, above Bilbao.
Even though there are more people living here and more cars on the road, pollution levels in Alicante have been rather constant in recent years. Pedestrianisation and lane reductions are two examples of the effective actions we have taken to reduce traffic on different streets. According to Villar, this is the path that we intend to take moving forward.

The Town Hall Area streets of Jorge Juan and Rafael Altamira will not be part of the pedestrianisation of the Town Hall Square.
Regarding this matter, it was recently declared by Mayor Luis Barcala that the Town Hall Square will be pedestrianised. It was indeed this very situation last autumn, when the Town Hall building’s façade collapsed, closing the street for weeks and forcing the closure of operations.
The city can keep running even without this traffic, thanks to this terrible occurrence. Also, the Councillor for Environmental Sustainability notes that town hall squares are usually not a common site for cars to circulate, both in Spain and elsewhere.
The project’s pedestrianisation will be limited to the area within the square; streets like Jorge Juan and Rafael Altamira will still be accessible for vehicles. Considering the bus routes that pass through this area, the next step is to do the necessary investigations to identify other transportation options. It is the expectation of the City Council that the works can commence by the year’s end and be finished in 2026.

Additional methods

Furthermore, we are assured by the government team that additional measures would be implemented to further decrease pollution levels.
All of the buses will soon be electric or hybrid models. Furthermore, we strive to enhance the tree cover and pavement size in every project we do. The deputy mayor assures us that, in addition to cars, they will promote the usage of scooters and bicycles.

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Torrevieja May Fair 2025 will be located in Antonio Soria Park and will have 15 booths

The Torrevieja May Fair 2025 is scheduled to take place from May 15th to 18th at the Antonio Soria Park grounds. The event will feature 15 booths, a large stage, and stalls that can accommodate 600 people. Additionally, there will be children’s shows, dance academy exhibitions, a large rociero parade, and the eagerly anticipated rociero mass on Sunday, which will conclude the fair.

This renowned event, which showcases Andalusian folklore, music, and gastronomy, has been designated a Provincial Tourist Interest and is now firmly established as one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the local festival calendar. Residents and visitors to Torrevieja can participate in a comprehensive program of musical performances, family-friendly activities, equestrian displays, and a fairground atmosphere in the booths that have been erected throughout the grounds for a period of four days.

FAIR PROGRAMMING 2025

Thursday 15th
21:00 Opening ceremony of the May Fair 2025, with a performance of the Torrevieja national anthem by the UMT band. Fireworks will follow. –
21:30 Performance by the QK Dance Academy .
22:30 Performance by the Virgen del Rocío Brotherhood Choir.

Friday 16th
21:00 Performance by the Arantxa Dance Academy
22:00 Performance by the Torrevieja Municipal Dance School
23:00 Performance by Aire de Lo Ferro

Saturday 17th
Noon Celebration of the traditional Misa Rociera (Rociera Mass) in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, sung by the choir of the Virgen del Rocío Brotherhood. Afterward, a parade of horsemen and carriages will take place to the fairgrounds in Antonio Soria Park.
Itinerary: Depart from the Church of the Immaculate Conception and walk up Bazán Street, Delfina Viudes Street until reaching the fairgrounds in Antonio Soria Park.
Once there, the traditional horse parade will begin.
21:00 Performance by the Soul Dance Studio Dance Academy
22:00 Performance by the Paya’s Dance School.
23:00 Performance by the group Siempre Así.

Sunday 18th
12:30 – 17:00 Horse-drawn carriage ride around the fairgrounds
20:30 Performance by the Mery Dance Academy
21:30 Performance by the Brisa del Sur Choir
22:00 Salve and closing ceremony of the 2025 Sevillanas fair sung by the choirs Brisa del Sur, Alba Rociera, and the Virgen del Rocío Brotherhood.

Full programme and schedule at: www.torrevieja.es

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Drunk driver caught in Santa Pola with a new license and no lights at night

At the weekend, the Santa Pola Local Police apprehended a driver who had recently obtained a licence and was in violation of numerous regulations.

In this coastal town in Alicante, the police stopped him for exceeding the alcohol limit and using the cycle lane, despite his limited driving experience of only two months.

According to the police force, the incident occurred at night and without headlights, which exacerbated the situation.

The traffic safety regulations have been implemented for all of the aforementioned reasons, as the Local Police have stated on their social media accounts that the risk posed by the absence of lights is not limited to the car.

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16 years for sexual assault of his ex-partner in Benidorm

Yesterday, Monday May 5th, a man who is accused of repeatedly violating the restraining order that barred him from approaching his ex-partner in Benidorm and for sexual assault, appeared in court at the Alicante Provincial Court. The request for 16 years in prison for sexual assault and violation of a precautionary measure has been upheld by the Prosecutor’s Office. The man’s pretrial detention is not caused by the request for 16 years in prison; instead, it is a result of his repeated violations of the restraining order.

Despite being aware that he was subject to a restraining order against his ex-partner, the defendant arrived at her residence in the resort city on July 2nd, 2023, with the intention of proposing sexual intercourse. The defendant sexually assaulted the victim after she refused, as stated in the indictment. On July 19th, 2023, he returned to the residence and repeatedly rang the doorbell.

The defendant defended his right to respond exclusively to the queries posed by his defence. The investigation didn’t even take into account whether or not there was consenting sexual activity. However, he denied any wrongdoing and solely maintained that his ex-partner desired to get revenge when filing the complaint.

The victim’s testimony was the primary piece of evidence at trial, and she reaffirmed it in her complaint in every detail. She claimed that the man arrived at her residence despite being aware that he was unable to approach her and proceeded to sexually violate her upon his arrival. It transpired that there had been prior violations of the restraining order. In fact, he returned to the residence a few days later and began to ring the doorbell. The Prosecutor’s Office maintained the sentences it requested at the conclusion of the trial, thereby supporting all of these points.

The reason for the preventive detention in this case was not the sexual assault itself, which is still pending sentencing, but rather the repeated violations of the restraining order issued by the Court for Violence against Women. The measure is intended to prevent the victim from encountering additional risk situations, as the accused, despite having been judicially warned, returned to his ex-partner’s residence on numerous occasions, disregarding the explicit prohibition of approaching. The judge interpreted this persistent behaviour as a clear indication of a high risk of repeat offences and that the accused does not respect the judicial measures. Consequently, they justified his imprisonment as a means of ensuring the safety of the complainant and the seamless operation of the process.