Cabildo makes it easier to get a free bus pass to encourage use of Public Transport

Since assuming office, the new President of the Cabildo in Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, has made it clear that one of her top priorities during her term is to reduce traffic jams on the island's roads. Since then, she has been focused on making decisions aimed at easing mobility issues, particularly on Tenerife's two main motorways (TF-1 and TF-5), which includes promoting the use of public transport to reduce the use of cars.

Dávila announced yesterday that starting from October 1st, the Cabildo will expand gratuity for buses and trams on the island. As of next Sunday, users will only need to complete 10 trips instead of the previous requirement of 15 within the previous 30 days to get the next pass for free. Failure to meet this criterion will result in having to pay the corresponding fare when renewing the pass.

The eligible pass types for this 100% gratuity will remain as the Canarian Resident Pass, Youth Pass, Senior Pass, and Pass for People with Disabilities, with the Cabildo covering the entire cost of this measure from its own funds.

"We've noticed that many people have struggled to complete 15 trips within the specified timeframe, leading to the loss of this benefit on their pass. This often happens during holiday periods, so we've decided to relax this requirement to allow more people to use public transport for free," she said.

Due to the increase in passenger numbers resulting from the gratuity, TITSA will strengthen routes that are more congested during peak hours. To achieve this, as Dávila explained, 25 new drivers are currently undergoing training and will join the workforce next month which will increase TITSA’s service. "There are people who cannot board a bus when it's full and have to wait for the next one," she explained. This measure aims to prevent such inconveniences for passengers.

The reinforcement will apply to both urban and interurban routes, and, as previously mentioned on several occasions, shuttle routes to the University of La Laguna will be introduced to ease congestion on the TF-5 motorway. These needs were identified in a study conducted by the Cabildo and TITSA during a study.

This is not the first nor the last measure taken by the Cabildo, at the beginning of the month, it was decided to restrict the circulation of rubbish trucks on both the TF-5 and TF-1 highways. This stops 60 trips per week from 5:30am to 10:30am, helping to relieve traffic, especially after seven in the morning when congestion on both roads is at its highest.

Another decision was made to reduce the time for removing broken-down or accident-involved vehicles from public roads. The Cabildo will enter into agreements with tow truck companies to remove these vehicles in less than 15 minutes, ensuring they do not obstruct traffic.

On Friday, Rosa Dávila presented the first phase of the Sustainable Mobility Plan, which advocates the promotion of public transport and the discouragement of private vehicles after the second meeting of the working committee with economic and social agents.

To achieve this goal, various alternatives are being considered, combining road infrastructure projects, improvements in public transportation, and mobility policies, including parking regulations and the establishment of Low Emission Zones.