New CE-710 service begins on Monday, June 1, with 14 lines and a €3.75 million annual investment, following months of pressure from local residents and the town council
The Generalitat Valenciana has announced the launch of a new public bus service connecting municipalities across the Vega Baja with Alicante, in a move that follows sustained pressure from Los Montesinos residents and their town council for improved public transport.
The presentation of the new CE-710 road passenger transport service took place on Wednesday in Los Montesinos, where a large banner reading “Los Montesinos More Transport” still hung from the Town Hall. The same banner had been used in February during the town’s public protest demanding better intercity bus connections from the Consell.
For many in the municipality, the launch marks a significant victory after the mayor, local officials and residents stood firm in their calls for fairer transport links. Their campaign highlighted the isolation faced by smaller Vega Baja towns and the need for reliable connections to hospitals, universities, transport hubs and larger urban centres.
The new service will begin operating on Monday, June 1, and is the third emergency transport route introduced by the Generalitat this year to strengthen mobility in the Vega Baja. It follows two previous services launched in February and April, all aimed at improving connectivity within the region and with key destinations across Alicante province.
The CE-710 service represents an annual investment of €3.75 million by the Generalitat Valenciana. The regional government will subsidise the route because the cost of operating the service cannot be covered by passenger fares alone.
In total, the new network will include 14 lines, operated with a minimum fleet of 22 vehicles, plus two reserve buses. The service is expected to carry out around 43,528 journeys per year and cover approximately 1.9 million kilometres annually.
The route will connect municipalities including Albatera, Algorfa, Almoradí, Benijófar, Bigastro, Benejúzar, Callosa de Segura, Catral, Cox, Crevillent, Dolores, Daya Nueva, Daya Vieja, Formentera del Segura, Granja de Rocamora, Guardamar del Segura, Jacarilla, Los Montesinos, Orihuela, Pilar de la Horadada, Rafal, Redován, Rojales, San Fulgencio, San Isidro, San Miguel de Salinas and Torrevieja.
It will also provide links to Alicante, Elche, Alicante-Elche Airport, Elche AVE railway station, the University of Alicante, and the Vega Baja and Torrevieja hospitals.
The regional ministry is currently negotiating with the affected municipalities over the final ten-year concession, which will replace the emergency contracts and establish the long-term structure of the service.
For Los Montesinos, however, Wednesday’s presentation carried a deeper meaning. The town that once displayed its demand for “more transport” in protest has now become the place where the Generalitat presented one of the region’s most important new mobility commitments.
