In recent weeks and months the lack of maintenance and repairs undertaken by the PP/Vox led Orihuela Council has forced residents of the Orihuela Costa to take many such matters into their own hands, spending thousands of euros of their own money in the process.
We have seen metal gates erected, so as to close La Avenida de la Luz in the MonteZenia Urbanisation to through traffic. This is because, despite being built in the 1970’s, the settlement has still not been adopted by the Orihuela Council, even though they pay their municipal taxes.
There was also the recent case in the residential Avalon in Playa Flamenca where, in June, residents paid 5,000 euros to clean the section of overgrown rambla, deemed to be a serious fire risk, in front of their homes, again in the face of the inaction of the Orihuela Council and the Hydrographic Confederation, and then in September residents from the Al Ándalus urbanization, of about 900 homes in La Florida, took to the streets in the face of the inaction by the Council to clean up over 8 tons of rubbish and rubble from Calle Aries and Calle Victoria streets in La Florida.
Now, in the most recent episode brought on by the council failure to act, several residents, tired of damaged tyres, are filling potholes and self-asphalting local streets at their own cost and risk in the face of the lack of maintenance by the City Council over many years.
With large cans of asfalto en frio (cold asphalt) purchased from a nearby DIY store they have been working during the night, when there is less traffic, to patch up the dangerous ruts and the potholes that continually cause damage to the tyres of passing motorists
Patching them up themselves with their own money has been the only solution these residents can see after the Consistory has done nothing more than scatter around a few traffic cones.
They now hope that seeing their efforts the City Council will take urgent action to urgently introduce repairs to the Orihuela Costa road network because there are still many roads that are in a poor condition.
A spokesman said they have carried out the repairs because they are tired of calling both the Local Police and the City Council, the only response being that they are asked to be patient.
Unidos por la Costa Criticizes Council’s Inaction
“We have been very patient. Time passes and nothing is done,” stated the Unidos por la Costa neighbourhood association, who expressed “absolute indignation and perplexity at the regrettable management by the Council for the Coast,” which has failed to provide asphalt to the company responsible for road maintenance since the material supply contract was all but abandoned in June 2023.
The association pointed out, “We have more than 100 million euros in the bank, but residents have to fill the potholes themselves to prevent damage.” These are residents who pay taxes expecting road maintenance, but who are forced to fund these repairs out of their own pockets due to administrative inaction.
Unlike other parts of the municipality, Orihuela Costa stands out for its strong community fabric, where residents’ efforts underscore their commitment to maintaining their neighbourhoods, despite the lack of municipal support, due to decades of neglect by successive Orihuela councils and rapid urban growth that is not matched by investment in services or infrastructure for the growing population.
