Elche's full council meeting (pleno) on Monday 26 October unanimously approved two transport motions. Compromís tabled the one on taxis and VTCs (chauffeur-driven private-hire vehicles). PSOE tabled the other, on bringing political and public representatives into the preparation of a new bus contract. PP and Vox backed both. The opposition criticised the authorities over a lack of inspections, delays and a lack of citizen involvement, and PSOE also raised what it sees as a lack of dialogue by the governing team on transport.
The Compromís motion calls for tighter control of VTCs and illegal passenger services at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport. It asks the town hall to request powers to initiate, investigate and decide penalty cases over possible VTC breaches, using what the regional rules allow. It also provides for a stronger Local Police presence at the airport to tackle illegal taxis. According to Compromís, illegal transport at the airport has led to clashes between taxi drivers and drivers who pick up passengers without the required permits.
Esther Díez of Compromís criticised a change to the rules made by the regional government (Generalitat) a few months ago. In her view it makes life easier for VTCs on terms that taxi representatives call unfair competition. She said the taxi service area in Elche is limited to the municipality itself, so it is sensible for the city to be able to control VTCs directly. She added that the problem is not only whether checks take place but that they need to be stepped up and the town hall's penalty powers widened. She also doubted that the government would act on the decisions taken.
Mobility councillor Claudio Guilabert (PP) replied that the Local Police are continuing to carry out checks at the airport. When demand rises, he said, the town hall allows taxis to move from the city centre to the airport with the agreement of industry representatives. He said the town hall government had met the Radio Taxi and Servitaxi associations and judged the last three years to have gone well, and that it is reviewing the taxi bylaw (ordenanza del taxi). He urged other administrations to take responsibility for inspections and penalties at the airport, where several bodies operate. He also said that 24 taxi licences were left unresolved in the previous term, in which Compromís took part.
PSOE councillor Mariano Valera proposed that the Local Police and the Movilidad (mobility) department prepare a report on summer activity: checks carried out, complaints filed, incidents recorded and needs identified. PSOE also proposed a working group on airport transport, with Aena, the Generalitat, the Guardia Civil, the National Police and other bodies, plus industry representatives. It called for a report within 30 days and a first assessment of the measures in less than three months. It is not clear whether these proposals made it into the approved text.
The PSOE motion provides for a commission of representatives of the council's political groups, workers and public organisations to take part in preparing the new pliego (the terms and conditions of the contract) for public transport. The new contract for Elche's urban and outlying-district (pedanías) buses will be worth more than €400m, with an expected term of ten years. The timing of the tender, the make-up of the commission and the timing of the request for VTC powers have not been reported.
