Costa Blanca
Alicante plans four new Tram lines

The tram’s introduction in Alicante 22 years ago revolutionised transport not only in the city but also throughout the entire region. The initial line established a connection between El Campello and Puerta del Mar. Since that time, this contemporary and environmentally friendly public transport system has grown to encompass five lines and has established connections to critical facilities, including the University of Alicante and the General Hospital de Alicante.
Nevertheless, this approach is insufficient. The preliminary studies for the general structural plan already take into account the future developments in the tram lines, which are now necessary to contemplate Alicante’s current and future growth. In Alicante, the documents anticipate the establishment of up to four new tram lines that would connect all neighbourhoods.
This is especially true for those residing in the southern region. The centre of Alicante is not accessible in neighbourhoods such as La Florida and Ciudad de AsÃs. Consequently, the initial new line is intended to travel in this direction, between Mercalicante and Pla de la Vallonga, via the Ocaña highway.
The new route will depart from the new Alicante Intermodal Station and travel towards Benalúa and La Florida along Avenida Aguilera , which will serve as the axis in the future of Alicante, connecting the railway terminal to the future City of Justice. One of the projects is the construction of an underground parking lot that will serve the judicial infrastructure and residents of the adjacent neighbourhoods.
From the Músico Emilio Menéndez roundabout, it would proceed along Calle Periodista Rafael González Aguilar to Calle Pianista Gonzalo Aguilar. The route would be utilised by public spaces including the Babel market, the Fernando Madroñal health centre, the Vicente Crespo-Babel sports centre, and the Polytechnic University.
Line 2 already serves Doctor Balmis General Hospital, where the second new line will commence. Nevertheless, the Gran VÃa route will be extended over the Red Bridge (pending the Central Park plan, despite residents’ advocacy for its preservation) to the Barco Roundabout on Calle Mexico rather than continuing north towards San Vicente. However, the story would not conclude there. San Gabriel would be included in the second phase.
Conversely, the Gran VÃa would proceed to Avenida Denia via Garbinet from the General Hospital. This new route would transverse the city, connecting the entire Gran VÃa to public transportation via the boulevards from San Juan Beach to San Gabriel.
The third new line follows Novelda Avenue to Ciudad JardÃn, rather than the current route of Line 2 to the University, and proceeds north. Like Marq, this line would leave from General Hospital, which would be an interchange.
The proposed fourth line would be underground, running from Luceros to Marq and then along Avenida de Denia and Bulevar del Pla to Santa Faz. This route had already been proposed as an alternative to transport the tram to San Juan Hospital and was currently under investigation.
Nevertheless, the General Structural Plan documents indicate that the project, which has already been approved by the Ministry of Infrastructure, is being maintained with a fork that extends from the Golf Course stop through Conrado Albadalejo, Nou Nazareth, and Benimagrell to the health centre.
Nevertheless, they could always be complementary, allowing for the provision of additional amenities and two routes to a location as significant as San Juan Hospital, which would accommodate a higher number of individuals.
Other critical components of the tramway’s study in the structured general plan include the establishment of park-and-ride parking spaces that facilitate car-tram connections and discourage private vehicle access to the city centre, as well as the preservation of stops that are 400 to 800 metres apart. Up to six additional parking spaces will be constructed in accordance with the municipal proposal.
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Costa Blanca
Aena closed the first quarter of 2025 with a profit of 301.3 million euros

Aena’s net profit for the first quarter of 2025 was €301.3 million, which represents an increase from €261 million in the same period of the previous year. The gross operating profit was €643.6 million, with a margin of 48.6%. In comparison to 2024 (€581.1 million), this figure indicates a 10.8% increase.
The total consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2025 was €1,325.6 million, a 7.5% increase from the same period in the previous year. Aeronautical revenue was €683.6 million, while commercial revenue was €441.1 million.
The Brazilian Airports Block (BOAB) consolidation generates €46.8 million in revenue and €25.7 million in EBITDA. The Aena Group (Spain, London-Luton, and Aena Brazil) expanded its passenger traffic to 78.3 million, a 4.9% increase from 2024.
The number of passengers at Spanish airports increased by 4.7%, reaching 63.6 million. The timing of Easter, which occurred in March last year and April this year, as well as the fact that last year was a leap year, has an impact on the comparative figures with the same period in 2024.
Investments
The investment, which totalled 203.1 million euros between January and March 2025, was primarily directed towards the enhancement of operational safety and airport facilities.
In the first quarter of 2025, Aena Group’s OPEX, which encompasses procurement, personnel, and other operating expenses, increased to €691.9 million from €659.9 million in the same period of 2024. The evolution of these expenses is indicative of the group’s personnel expenses (+10.7%) and the Spanish network’s expenses for items such as electricity (+22.4%), maintenance (+9.5%), and security (+8.3%).
The year-on-year increase in other operating expenses at the Spanish airport network was €17.1 million, which is 4.7% higher than the corresponding period from January to March 2024, excluding the impact of energy. The consolidated group’s net financial debt-to-EBITDA ratio decreased to 1.37 times from €5,498 million for the full year 2024, as the Aena Group’s consolidated accounting net financial debt stood at €4,886 million.
The first quarter of 2025 saw solid cash generation. The net cash generated from operating activities increased to €820.4 million from €723.7 million in the first quarter of 2024.
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Costa Blanca
Luxury in El Campello: Balinese beds on the beaches

The beaches of El Campello are about to experience a new level of luxury. The City Council’s Department of Beaches and Tourism Infrastructure has granted concessionaires the authority to construct “Balinese beds” on the sand, which are relaxing elements that “add value to the beaches.” This includes the rental of sun loungers and umbrellas on the beaches.
In a statement, the City Council clarifies that the authorisation, which is available to all concessionaires, is always contingent upon the fact that the installation of these elements “does not entail expanding the space granted to them” to install hammocks.
According to the City Council, which is led by Rafa Galvañ, concessionaires who desire to provide these beds, which are typically constructed from wood and are resistant to coastal environmental conditions, may do so without expanding the designated area.
To date, two of these regions have adopted the proposal and have installed Balinese beds in Muchavista that are waterproof, sun-resistant, and simple to clean. These beds are equipped with white side curtains and a custom-made roof that is suitable for machine washing. They have also been treated with fire-retardant and antibacterial components.
The dimensions are 200 centimetres in width, 182 centimetres in depth, and 210 centimetres in height. This furniture is intended to set it apart from other beaches and highlight the sun lounger and umbrella service area, thereby imbuing it with elegance and personality.
Hammock and umbrella dealers must submit a specific request to the City Council to construct these beds. This request must include technical specifications and catalogues of the materials they intend to use.
However, what is the cost? According to the same sources, the concessionaire that commissioned the infrastructure in Muchavista charges €21 per day for two hammocks and a parasol, while a Balinese bed that accommodates three individuals costs €50 per day.
Furthermore, one should consider midday rentals, which would restrict the use and enjoyment of these relaxation facilities to approximately 25-30 euros.
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Costa Blanca
El Corte Inglés in Alicante now offers sign language services

With the implementation of the SVISUAL sign language video interpretation service, El Corte Inglés in Alicante has made a significant stride towards inclusivity. This service is intended for deaf users of the language. The event presenter clarified that this initiative “reinforces its commitment to service and accessibility so that everyone can receive quality care.” This system was initially introduced in Murcia and has since been implemented in Cartagena, Valencia, and Castellón. It has been further expanded to include Alicante and Elche, thereby concluding its implementation throughout the Valencian Community.
The significance of partnerships in facilitating this advancement was underscored by Santiago Sánchez, the Communications Director of El Corte Inglés Murcia. “This project was initiated as a pilot project in Murcia nearly two years ago, and we have been gradually expanding its implementation throughout the Valencian Community, thanks to the National Confederation of the Deaf’s collaboration and the Regional Office of El Corte Inglés in Levante’s dedication.” He also announced its imminent extension to Castilla-La Mancha. He also underscored that it is “a source of pride that from now on, anyone who visits El Corte Inglés and requires the assistance of a sign language interpreter will have it.”
Carolina GarcÃa, president of the Federation of the Deaf in the Valencian Community, participated in the presentation to emphasise the recognition of sign language. She stated, “Article 13.4 explicitly states that sign language is the language of deaf people, was created by deaf people, and should be the object of care, respect, and value.” GarcÃa expressed gratitude to El Corte Inglés for its dedication, describing it as “a perfect example of this accessibility achieved” and expressing his hope that “other companies will follow El Corte Inglés’ example to make their various areas accessible.”
Lidia López, the Councillor for Social Welfare of the Alicante City Council, also attended the event. She emphasised the significance of companies such as El Corte Inglés taking such significant actions, which, as she stated, “eliminate all types of barriers and serve as an example to other companies in the municipality of Alicante and, consequently, in other provinces.”
Employees of El Corte Inglés have received training to comprehend individuals with hearing impairments and use the app embedded on their tablets to communicate with interpreters. The CNS Foundation for the Removal of Communication Barriers, the Federation of the Deaf of the Valencian Community, and El Corte Inglés are collaborating to implement this initiative.
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