Connect with us

Costa Blanca

Orihuela Councils displeasure at ‘forgetfulness’ of the Ministry of Transport

N332 Traffic

The governing team of the Orihuela City Council has reiterated its dissatisfaction with what it perceives as a new oversight by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, which continues to overlook the longstanding request of residents and visitors of the Orihuela coast for a free service on the AP-7 section between Los Montesinos and Villamartín-La Zenia, particularly during the peak season.

Víctor Valverde, the Councillor for Infrastructure, noted that “we have lost count of the number of times we have requested a response from the Ministry regarding this matter, yet we have still not received any reply.” Valverde views the Government’s recent decision to extend the free toll on the El Campello-Monforte section as a positive development, indicating that such measures can effectively alleviate congestion on overburdened roads. This criterion, which has justified free tolls in Alicante, should similarly apply to the Vega Baja, where the N-332 and the CV-95 experience persistent traffic congestion, particularly during the summer months,” he stated.

The Orihuela councillor noted that the AP-7 motorway in this segment averages only 6,000 vehicles daily, primarily attributed to the high toll cost, which exceeds 9 euros for a distance of 7 kilometres. Valverde emphasised that the N-332 accommodates over 40,000 vehicles daily and experiences traffic congestion extending for kilometres during the summer months.

The Ministry of Transport, led by Óscar Puente, acknowledges that the removal of the toll in El Campello has yielded significant benefits, including reduced congestion and enhanced road safety. Consequently, this measure should be implemented in the section traversing the Vega Baja region, where conditions are similarly severe, particularly during specific months of the year, as stated by Valverde.


Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Costa Blanca

Firefighters rescue a hiker after fracturing her tendon whilst hiking

A 68-year-old woman was rescued by members of the Provincial Fire Consortium at the Albir Lighthouse in Alfaz del Pi (Alicante) on Saturday, April 26th. She was en route to the l’Alt del Governador de la Serra Gelada when she sustained a fracture of the Achilles tendon, rendering it impossible for her to recommence walking.

The rescue helicopter Alpha 01 and the special group of rescue (GER) were deployed to the scene after the notice was received at approximately 12:28 p.m., according to a statement from the Consortium.

The helicopter was activated to provide rescue services with the GER when the woman was unable to reach the ambulance due to the area’s orography.

The firefighters descended to their position after they were located, and the injured joint was splinted.


Subsequently, they deployed a hoist to elevate the woman to the helicopter, which transported her to San Vicente Park, where she was met by a Basic Life Support (BLS) unit. The intervention concluded at 1:35 p.m.

Advertisement

Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Continue Reading

Costa Blanca

National Police arrest two women in Benidorm for stealing from tourists

National Police Car

Two women have been apprehended by the National Police in Benidorm for stealing wallets and luggage from tourists, which are believed to contain their most valuable possessions, near their vacation rentals.

The investigation commenced in late 2024, although officers were already aware of the actions of these individuals as a result of numerous other incidents that had occurred on the same premises, including thefts from travellers who were preparing to arrive or depart from their accommodations.

The consistent modus operandi facilitated the investigation, enabling the discovery of the individuals after nearly half a year.

Both suspects were travelling from Alicante to Benidorm in a vehicle and were observed loitering in the city’s tourist areas. They concentrated their attention on the entrances of hotels and public transport stations for the purpose of observing tourist arrivals and pickups.

They selected these locations where tourists are waiting with their luggage, either to be served by reception staff or to be picked up by transport, as these are the times when they give the least attention to their belongings.

Advertisement

The two women also did not hesitate to follow elderly individuals who had departed from these tourist accommodations to wander around, with the intention of exploiting their negligence and stealing their belongings from their purse or knapsack.

The robbery was consistently executed in the same manner. One of them monitored the area and provided cover, while the other perpetrated the larceny of the property. They then fled in the vehicle they frequently used.

In this manner, the investigation was able to identify the actions of the two suspects, who made Benidorm their preferred location, in at least five specific incidents that took place between September 2024 and March 2025. Each of these incidents revealed evidence of their involvement.

The judicial authority deprived both women of their right to access the restricted area of Benidorm, which includes the area where they conducted their criminal activity, as a preventive measure to eradicate their criminal activity in the city, following their arrest.

Advertisement

Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Continue Reading

Costa Blanca

Kirsty Maxwell Benidorm balcony death to be probed in new series

A new series expects the five men who last saw Kirsty Maxwell alive to provide answers in a podcast that investigates her mysterious death in Spain.

After a night out on a hen do in 2017, Kirsty, a newlywed, plummeted to her death from a balcony at a hotel in Benidorm.

Before her death, Kirsty, 27, of Livingston, inadvertently entered a 10th-floor flat that was occupied by five British men: Joseph Graham, Ricky Gammon, Anthony Holehouse, Callum Northridge and Daniel Bailey.

In July 2020, they were cleared of being homicide suspects after judges determined that there was no “strong evidence” of criminality and no indication that she had not fallen to her death.

Nevertheless, Kirsty’s mother and father, who are devastated, are adamant that she did not leap of her own volition. The case and an appeal for information are the focus of the six-part podcast, “What happened to Kirsty Maxwell.”

Advertisement

True Crime podcaster Naomi Channell, who narrates and produces the series, says, “I do not believe it was a tragic accident.” All the evidence suggests that she was fleeing from something.

“There are still numerous unanswered questions.”

“It is my sincere hope that this will exert pressure on the authorities and on those who were present in the flat but have never been adequately investigated.”

Naomi met Kirsty’s family at a UK Crimecon convention in 2023, where she was present with Sue Horan, the wife of Stuart Lubbock, who passed away under suspicious circumstances at the residence of television personality Michael Barrymore in 2001.

In her podcast, she recounts how upon Kirsty’s arrival at the apartments with her friends, “a shirtless man” approached them at the elevators and enquired, “Who wants to get f*** tonight?”

Advertisement

Kirsty returned to the apartments early in the morning after a night out, during which she consumed alcohol but did not have any narcotics in her system.

It is unclear why she awoke, proceeded to the 10th floor, and knocked on the door of room 10E. The room was shared by five men, including the shirtless man, who were all from the Nottingham area.

One of them informed the authorities. Before jumping over the Juliette balcony to her demise, Kirsty attempted to climb through a small window in the bathroom and then ran through the apartment window.

Naomi stated, “Kirsty died instantly after falling at 7.51 a.m.” One of the men reported to the police that he had observed her fall. This individual was the sleeveless man, and his name is Joseph Graham.

Adam, Kirsty’s spouse, received a call from the Spanish police informing him that she had passed away. He was compelled to inform her mother, Denise, of the tragic news. The couple had married only eight months prior.

Advertisement

Brian Curry, her father, expressed his disbelief, stating, “Even to this day, it is extremely difficult to accept.”

The podcast delves into the process by which Kirsty’s family travelled to Benidorm to initiate their own investigation three months after her death, as they encountered a “wall of silence” from the police.

Naomi, a podcaster from Essex, stated, “No parent should ever be required to investigate the death of their own child.”

“Brian requested 12 hours of footage that encompassed the period prior to and following Kirsty’s death; however, the police provided him with only seven minutes of edited footage.

Kirsty’s fall is not depicted in a traumatic three-second footage captured by a camera at the poolside, which captures her impact with the ground. Brian is of the opinion that the footage was edited by an individual.

Advertisement

“According to investigators, the remaining CCTV footage has disappeared.” The police were compelled to acknowledge that they had disposed of the garments the day following Kirsty’s death. Her attire would have served as indispensable evidence.

“They claimed that the reason was that the clothing was stained with blood.” They acknowledged that the only method of examination was visual.

David Swindle, the retired Strathclyde detective who established Victims Abroad, was astounded by the deficiencies of the investigation.

He stated that the Spanish Police failed to conduct thorough investigations into the evidence, including independent witnesses, and did not advance forensics or CCTV footage.

“These men were not separated and were not interviewed properly.” DNA issues were encountered, samples were not collected, and Kirsty’s clothing was incinerated.

Advertisement

“Throughout my tenure as an investigator, I was unable to comprehend it.” “If we had all of that, we would be better equipped to understand what transpired with Kirsty.”

The podcast, which will be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon on April 29, commemorates the eight-year anniversary of Kirsty’s passing.


Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Continue Reading

Adverts

Events Calendar

Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
31
1
2
3
5
7
8
9
11
14
9:00 AM - Denia Market
15
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
25
27
28
29
1
2
3
4
Alicante Car Show 4th - 6th April
April 4, 2025 - April 6, 2025    
10:00 - 21:00
This weekend, Alicante will host the biggest car show in the province. The 21st edition of Sobre 2 ruedas and the 53rd edition of Firauto, [...]
Exhibition of Static and Radio-Controlled Naval Modeling in Torrevieja
April 6, 2025 - April 26, 2025    
10:30 - 19:30
An exhibition of static and radio-controlled naval modelling will be in the 'Los Aljibes' exhibition hall at the Park of Nations in Torrevieja and will [...]
Lenny Kravitz in Concert in A Coruña
April 10, 2025    
21:30 - 23:00
Lenny Kravitz will be preforming live at the Coliseum, C. Francisco Pérez Carballo, 2, 15008 A Coruña on Thursday 10th April this year. Leonard Albert [...]
Torrevieja Book Fair
April 12, 2025 - April 21, 2025    
All Day
The 27th edition of the Torrevieja Book Fair, which will take place on Paseo Vista Alegre from Saturday, April 12th to Monday, April 21st. For [...]
Survivor: The Extreme Test in Alicante 12th & 13th April
April 12, 2025 - April 13, 2025    
All Day
The Survivor Race obstacle course is made for people of all skill levels, from novices to those who take their training seriously. The obstacle course, [...]
13th Classic Motor Festival in Guardamar on Saturday, April 12
April 12, 2025    
10:00 - 18:00
According to the mayor of Guardamar del Segura, José Luis Sáez, the 13th Solidarity Motor Festival will be held on Saturday, April 12th, and is [...]
Holy Week in Torrevieja 2025
April 13, 2025 - April 20, 2025    
All Day
From April 13 (Palm Sunday) to April 20, 2025, there will be Holy Week. Following the lunar schedule, Holy Week takes place during the same [...]
Denia Market
April 14, 2025    
09:00 - 13:00
Dénia's enormous local market sells apparel, ceramics, household products, nuts, and sweets to locals and tourists. A churros stall greets tourists at the entrance. Summer [...]
Santa Pola Medieval Market 2025
April 17, 2025 - April 21, 2025    
11:00 - 23:00
The Medieval Market returns to Santa Pola from April 17th to 21st, the center of Santa Pola will host the traditional Medieval Market During market [...]
Murcia Spring Flower Parade 24 April
April 24, 2025    
All Day
The colourful Flower Parade, popularly known as the "Battle of Flowers," throws fresh flowers at spectators. Murcian women in regional costumes atop floral-decorated floats. Over [...]
Gran Hotel Bali Benidorm Vertical Climb
April 26, 2025    
10:00 - 14:00
The most famous climb in Spain will take place at the highest hotel in Europe. The 19th annual Vertical Climb will take place on Saturday, [...]
Murcia Burying the Sardine Saturday 26th April 2025
April 26, 2025    
18:00
They do bury sardines. Music, colour, dancing, and processions precede the more solemn religious holidays as funfair season ends. This centuries-old ritual of burying a [...]
Villajoyosa Medieval Market Saturday 3rd May 2025
May 3, 2025    
All Day
Experience Villajoyosa's lovely coastal village and annual mediaeval market on a day trip. You have time to explore the town's attractions, seafront restaurants and cafes, [...]
Events on April 4, 2025
Events on April 10, 2025
Events on April 13, 2025
Events on April 14, 2025
Denia Market
14 Apr 25
Dénia
Events on April 17, 2025
Events on April 24, 2025
Events on April 26, 2025
Events on April 30, 2025
Villajoyosa Medieval Market
30 Apr 25
Benidorm

Adverts

Trending