ARCHIVED - Free shuttle buses and public transport cards for Benidorm residents

Buses will connect main car parks with the centre of the resort in Marina Baixa, Alicante province.

In a bid to alleviate congestion and promote the use of public transport, Benidorm Council is planning to lay on free shuttle buses to connect two of the resort's biggest car parks with the town centre, La Cala and Rincón de Loix.

In addition, 40,000 'transport cards' worth €10 each will be given to registered residents - on request -  for use on Avanza public buses as part of a €1.1 million drive to encourage the use of public transport.

 "initially the card will be for public transport, but, thanks to the software that will be used, we will be able to add other uses in the future and link it to municipal services, like sports facilities," says the town council.

Meanwhile, a shuttle bus service from the park-and-ride car parks in Avenida Berniardá and Salt de l'Aigua will provide a direct link to the La Cala and Rincón de Loix areas, thereby reducing traffic in the centre of Benidorm and the headache of trying to find a parking space.

During the initial pilot phase, the transport will be free "for people who park their vehicles in the park-and-ride lots" offering "a same-day round trip" during peak hours, and LED screens will be installed at the main stops to provide real-time information about the service, such as timetable and approximate length of journey.

The plan is to implement up to 50 stops in total, launching the free service in August.

IMAGE: Avanza Grupo