Torrevieja's New Urban Mobility Agents - Residents Rebellion

[Carl]

https://www.informacion.es/vega-baja/20 ... 16179.html

Google translate, minus images:

Residents of San Roque in Torrevieja rebel against the "warnings" and fines issued by urban mobility agents

Residents of ten streets in the neighborhood are standing firm and continue to park in dead-end sections, as they have been doing for decades, despite fines of up to 90 euros.

The residents of San Roque in Torrevieja are up in arms. They have decided to rebel against the urban mobility agents. They first caused quite a scene, they explain, when this unit, tasked with regulating traffic, approached the neighborhood to warn them that they would issue fines if they continued parking on the streets where residents have been leaving their vehicles for decades. The residents turned out en masse, coming from the beach and down from their apartments, to show their opposition, to the point that local police patrols were called in due to the possibility of clashes.

Later, the warning turned into a fine of up to 90 euros, further inflaming the situation, with the sole intention of raising funds, according to those affected, who live in the most Vega Baja streets of the municipality, not only because many residents of the region have their second home in this neighborhood, but also because of the street names.

These are the sections of road perpendicular to Desiderio Rodríguez Avenue that are dead ends, as they terminate at the sea, extending from La Veleta to Los Náufragos beach. In total, ten streets: Benijófar, Bigastro, Rojales, Benejúzar, Callosa de Segura, Almoradí, Dolores, Catral, Albatera, and Los Montesinos.

Specifically, the residents of Dolores are leading the "fight," even meeting with the Councilor for Citizen Security, Federico Alarcón, to ask the City Council to stop issuing fines and allow parking "as has been done for more than 40 years," they insist, or to enable a park-and-ride facility, at least during peak season.

For its part, the City Council has conveyed to them "the intention to create as many places as possible in that area," explains the councilor.

Meanwhile, the residents fear that the dynamic will be to "continue issuing fines indiscriminately," but they are not giving up their usual "parking": "We have always had that space, and we continue to park there."

Agents Unit

The unit consists of 20 officers, a supervisor, and 10 125cc motorcycles. Its members took up their posts on July 11th and completed a specific training period before beginning their service, which started with traffic control around the Paseo del Mar and during the Virgen del Carmen procession.

They were selected through a competitive process and are temporary civil servants. Their service will initially last one year, with the possibility of three extensions, up to a maximum of four. They are temporarily located at the Los Balcones Local Police station until the facilities next to the Local Police Headquarters in the city center are ready, presumably by the end of this year.

However, they are not part of the Security Forces and Corps, so they do not make reports and cannot make arrests, but they can file administrative complaints related to traffic violations within their area of ​​operation.

Controversy

By the end of July, after a discreet start in the middle of the month, the new traffic enforcement unit had become noticeable among residents because they were actively issuing parking tickets, especially on central streets in the town center, such as Ramón Gallud. What the local police couldn't do, due to other policing priorities in Torrevieja during July, these officers were covering with a deployment that also included traffic control, particularly to alleviate congestion at the entrance and exit of the Paseo del Mar parking garage.

This measure generated a division of opinions. While the sanctioned drivers were still reeling from the blow – the City Council imposed traffic fines totaling 1.4 million euros annually in 2025 – bus and taxi drivers pointed out that this decision should have been made sooner, because, they asserted, they no longer had to deal with cars parked illegally or double-parked, even at bus stops.

Tasks

Officially, the unit is responsible for regulating, managing, and directing vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The city's objective is for the Local Police, which after many years of understaffing now has around 170 officers, to be able to allocate more personnel to public safety and administrative policing duties, while the traffic officers focus on traffic flow and the daily operation of the city's main traffic hubs. With the start of the school year, their duties are centered on traffic management around schools, one of the services that previously required the most Local Police personnel during peak hours.

Their duties include supporting the Local Police with traffic matters, regulating school entrances and exits, patrolling the town center and main access points to Torrevieja, as well as monitoring bus lanes, parking, loading and unloading zones, and spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility. They will also assist with traffic management during processions, sporting events, parades, and other events with large crowds.

[Bee]

A very fancy title for what we call a traffic warden. Nice little earner for the Town Hall and especially during peak holiday season. Don't they have an annual protest down that way every year over traffic and parking.

Bee