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

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.
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Costa Blanca
Firefighter from the Benidorm fire station dies in a climbing accident in the Pyrenees

A Benidorm fireman died in a climbing accident in the French Pyrenees on Saturday, May 17th, according to sources from the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium.
Although they could not specify his age or place of birth, they established that the firefighter, F.Ll, worked at the Benidorm fire station and was originally from the province of Alicante.
The Consortium’s official Twitter account, which does not provide information about the accident, has stated that it greatly laments the loss of its “companion and friend Fran Llorens, in a climbing accident in the French Pyrenees.”
They also stated that he is “an example of professional behaviour and treatment of others” and that he “honoured the uniform, leaving an indelible mark on the Benidorm park and #cpba (Aicante Provincial Fire Consortium).” RIP.
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Costa Blanca
National Police dismantle a house in Elche from which cocaine and marijuana were sold 24 hours a day

The National Police arrested three men and a woman in Elche for allegedly being part of a familial clan that sold and distributed drugs from a residence in “la puñalá.”
The drug sales point was open 24 hours a day, and the detained individuals had another residence that served as a warehouse for the drugs they would later sell.
During the operation, National Police officers discovered 350 grams of cocaine hidden inside a cement mixer, 10 grams of marijuana, a huge knife, a high-end car, and paraphernalia used for drug sales.
In addition, a marijuana plantation of 158 plants was discovered in one of the examined flats, illegally connected to an electrical outlet.
The detainees’ ages range from 35 to 60. All have been charged with alleged drug trafficking, membership in a criminal group, and electricity fraud.
After submitting a statement to the court authority, the person believed to be the group’s head was imprisoned.
According to the National Police on Sunday, the family clan intercepted had a clear separation of roles, with some in charge of selling the material and others in charge of carrying out surveillance activities around the residence under investigation.
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Benidorm is the only municipality in Alicante that requests the authorities to inspect tourist apartments

On March 31st, the Benidorm City Council approved its participation in the framework agreement signed on December 13th by the Generalitat Valenciana (Generalitat Valenciana), through the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, and the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP), to assume the delegation of powers to inspect and sanction tourist accommodation in the city. To date, it is the only municipality in the province that has requested this from the Ministry.
At the moment, there are only four applications. Valencia City, Benidorm, Faura, and La Font d’En Carròs have only 6 and 35 registered tourist lodgings, respectively. And this despite the fact that, at the last edition of Fitur, in January, the President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, signed a manifesto between the Generalitat and the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP), which also included Alicante, Torrevieja, and Elche.
This transfer of authorities enables municipalities with local police forces to monitor and resolve disciplinary cases involving tourist accommodation. This entails collecting up to €600,000 per irregular residence in the most egregious situations, which may be a financial lifeline for municipalities.
The fundamental issue with this plan is that the Valencian Government only has 11 inspectors who can execute these functions (4 in Alicante, 4 in Valencia, and 3 in Castellón). Municipalities, through their local police forces, can conduct inspections and punishments and collect the corresponding fines.
In accordance with the time period, “the adhesion agreements will be valid for an initial five years, with the possibility of extension for another five years, and may be terminated by either party upon thirty days’ written notice.”
The Generalitat (Generalitat), which has previously set clear and severe legislation in this regard, sees this as a “key tool for improving the organisation of the tourism sector in the Valencian Community, and contributing to more effective management aligned with public interests.”
In the case of Benidorm, Councillor Lourdes Caselles stated at the municipal plenary session that “the City Council must compile a quarterly report on the complaints filed, the procedures initiated, their resolution and whether or not they result in disciplinary action, and any fines imposed that are paid into the municipal coffers.”
Similarly, in order to carry out this function in better conditions, the Councillor for Urban Planning has explained that the Department of Architecture “is working on an ordinance to regulate tourist housing and to provide security and strengthen this type of tourist accommodation as long as the regulations are complied with” and, in turn, has recalled that the City Council will reinforce the Local Police force, with the announcement of 20 positions, so that “there
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