The state of the solar lamps in different residential areas has been thoroughly examined by the Calpe City Council. In order to confirm their correct operation, this study was carried out in cooperation with the lighting manufacturer and the contracting firm, Sociedad Ibérica de Construcciones Eléctricas, SA (SICE).

Visual checks and functional tests were conducted during the inspections, which were conducted on February 3rd, 5th, 11th, and 18th and March 3rd, 10th, and 11th, 2025. The lights were made to turn on using a remote control provided by the manufacturer.

Out of the 366 solar streetlights that were examined, 20 were found to be stolen, while 32 were found to be malfunctioning. The contracting business will need to examine 29 of these 32 in further detail in order to decide what repairs are required. In other words, the business needs to fix the streetlights that aren’t functioning right now. Twenty streetlights have already been reported stolen.

Public illumination in all 75 residential neighbourhoods is the aim

The Calp City Council will continue to keep an eye on the facilities’ state and will mandate that the contractor complete the tasks required to guarantee the municipality’s solar lighting system operates as intended. Similarly, the appropriate steps will be taken to stop more vandalism that could harm these infrastructures.

Municipal services are already working on a new contract to enhance the current service and continue putting illumination in additional locations. The tender price for the new contract will be €150,000.

In order to keep enhancing public lighting in these locations, this gives the Urban Development Lighting Plan continuity. The City Council wants to make sure that all urban developments have public lighting by putting new lighting plans into action. It should be mentioned in this context that Calpe has 75 urban developments inside its municipal limits, some of them are from the 1960s and 1970s, and as a result, their infrastructure has deteriorated.

“The report on the state of the solar streetlights that the City Council has been installing over the last three years is good news,” said Mayor Ana Sala. We’ll keep getting better. A report has been filed regarding the theft of a few streetlights. Since other streetlights are still covered under warranty, they must be fixed. We will request that the business chosen to do this installation fix them as quickly as possible. In addition, we want to spend €150,000 on new streetlights and the upkeep that goes along with them in residential areas where lighting is more problematic. In the upcoming months, we want to keep making investments in this field. We will remember these residential places.

Yesterday, Monday 31st March, a scooter driver and a tram on Line 2, which runs between Alicante and San Vicent del Raspeig, collided near the station’s entrance in the San Vicent del Raspeig municipality.

The driver of the two-wheeler was conscious at the time of the crash, according to FGV. Emergency personnel have been alerted to the area in order to treat the injured party.

Trains on Line 2 were delayed by the accident, which happened shortly after 3 p.m., and they didn’t resume regular service until 4 p.m.

According to the same sources, FGV is examining the cameras, and all evidence points to the scooter driver running the red light.

This is the second time a tram and a scooter rider have been involved, both on the same line and in essentially the same location. In the University neighbourhood, close to the retail centre, a car struck a 32-year-old man who was riding a scooter last Friday, 28th March, as we reported here https://costablancadaily.com/news/2025/03/29/scooter-hit-by-a-tram-in-sant-vicent/

The inclusion of the Generalitat (Catalan Government) in the agreement permitting inspections of tourist accommodations and the enforcement of sanctions in the event that any irregularities are found was accepted by the Benidorm City Council plenary session yesterday, Monday 31st March.

The PSPV-PSOE (Socialist Party) abstained, claiming that the agreement constitutes “a dereliction of duty by the Generalitat” and that Benidorm City Council “does not have sufficient resources” to adequately carry out the inspection tasks. In its regular plenary session for the month of March, the council approved this point with the votes of 16 local government councillors from the PP and one Vox councillor.

The council will, however, bolster the Local Police force by creating 20 new jobs, which means that “there will be more material and personnel resources,” according to government spokesperson Lourdes Caselles.

In addition, Caselles claims that “there have already been several meetings with experts from the regional ministry and the city councils” who have shown interest in making sure that “this delegation can be implemented as quickly as possible.” One such meeting was with the Benidorm delegation.

Power delegation

After taking on the duties, Benidorm agrees to create a report every three months detailing the complaints that have been made, the open files and how they have been resolved, and any penalties that have been applied.

The municipal administration stated that the Architecture Department “is working on an ordinance to regulate tourist housing and to provide security and strengthen this type of tourist accommodation, provided that regulations are followed.”

As a result, Benidorm is among the first cities in the community to take over the delegation of authority and start conducting inspections.

The agreement for the financing of improvements and replacement of the wastewater treatment and sanitation facilities was also unanimously approved by the local council at its plenary session. This would handle the current Benidorm WWTP’s restoration needs and fix the structural and electrical installation flaws in the wastewater pumping stations, requiring an investment of €14,520,000.