Elche youth council calls for more buses to the University of Alicante

The Consell de la Joventut d’Elx is calling on the Generalitat to provide more frequent buses and additional capacity between Elche and the University of Alicante, alleging that overcrowding forces students to stand or sit on the floor during the motorway journey.

The youth organisation considers the current provision insufficient and wants additional services to ensure safe journeys that meet student demand.

A campaign backed by 1,800 signatures

The group recalls that 1,800 signatures were collected last year to demand improvements, and that Elche Town Council, student representatives at the University of Alicante and Elda’s youth council have also called for solutions.

According to the Consell, overcrowding also affects the private Buses Serrano service, whose provision was reduced following the introduction of the public connection, which was initially free.

The organisation criticises what it sees as a lack of an effective response from the Generalitat despite measures announced over the past year, linking its demands both to safety and to the service’s capacity.

Council seeks a permanent solution

Elche’s Public Services Councillor, Claudio Guilabert, says a request to improve the route 258 connection with the university was sent to the director-general for Transport two weeks ago.

Guilabert says the route has attracted complaints from passengers about insufficient frequencies and poor service conditions.

According to the councillor, the director-general has told the council that officials are examining the contract specifications to establish how the service could be expanded under the current contract.

The municipal government’s stated aim is to have a lasting solution during the current academic year, rather than relying solely on exceptional additional services.

Guilabert insists that improvements must be permanent, while the youth organisation’s demand again highlights everyday journeys to the campus.

According to the council’s explanation, the matter remains at the contract-study stage; resolving it this academic year is the council’s ambition, not an increase in services that has already been implemented.