The Socialist Group in the Cabildo of Tenerife convened with community organisations from Agache (Güímar), Arico, and Arafo to address their request for transport to reach the nearest stops and utilise Titsa services. The meeting was attended by both the president of the Socialist Group, Pedro Martín, and the councillors Marián Franquet and Cristina Morales.
The PSOE reminds us that at present, numerous towns in Tenerife, both in this area and beyond, are isolated from the public transport network. This situation led the Cabildo, in the previous mandate, to activate the Tuwawa initiative, a pilot scheme that involved using Titsa buses and, when necessary, taxis, to bring residents to the nearest stops, thus assisting them in leading a normal life and accessing rights and services on an equal footing with other regions of the Island.
This trial ran for three months in 2021. An application for this service was also launched in April 2023. However, the PSOE points out that the current governing body has opted for a tender with private sector firms, which, according to the residents and the Socialist Party itself, is not the most suitable solution.
“On one hand, numerous deficiencies have been identified in the transport provision – explained Pedro Martín – and, furthermore, Titsa is excluded. The delivery of the service by Titsa allows for a crucial aspect: coordination with other buses. That is to say, with the regular island transport network. Additionally, this company has contributed valuable insights to the pilot project thanks to the knowledge of its workers regarding public transportation,” he stated.
“The commitment to a private service – he continued – not only fails to satisfy those affected but has also resulted in cases such as the underutilisation of vehicles that were specifically purchased to deliver this service.”
BALANCE
Pedro Martín advocated for the necessity of balanced development on the Island, “where there are no first-class and second-class citizens, depending on their place of residence. Furthermore, he emphasised that possessing a significant public transport network such as TITSA, “It is the employees of this company who share their expertise to ensure that the on-demand transport service is well integrated with the rest of the Island’s offerings,” he explained.
The former president of the Cabildo underscored the “positive receptiveness” from the mayors to broaden services. “Now it is essential to ensure connectivity with the regular Titsa routes and heed the voices of the community organisations, which have pinpointed clear shortcomings in the Cabildo’s proposal, such as the connections with areas like La Zarza, where there are noticeable gaps in service frequencies.”
