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Residents of Jumilla are renewing calls for an extension to the bus timetable connecting their town with Yecla in the evenings. Currently, the last service leaves Yecla at 7.15pm, leaving students, hospital visitors, and workers stranded. The local United Left (IU)-Podemos coalition has launched a fresh petition to push for a new bus departing at 9.30pm. This follows a similar campaign a year ago, highlighting a long-standing frustration in adapting transport to community needs.

 

Virginia Oliver, a mother involved in the effort, pointed out that around 1,500 signatures were gathered last year. “Many people leave the hospital, students and workers, who finish at 9pm cannot return by public transport,” she explained.

 

One affected student, Inés García, starts higher education in Yecla this year and said, “My classes end at exactly 9pm, so to get home I would either need to leave two hours early or rely on a lift.” Another parent, María Isabel Tomás, lamented that despite years of requests, no progress has been made: “Before there were eight of us parents, now there are many more because the need is real.”

 

Jiménez Martínez of IU emphasised that many students are minors or just learning to drive and expressed safety concerns over winter driving conditions on the Yecla port road.

 

Jumilla’s Education Councilor, Mari Carmen Cruz, responded that the issue originated a few years ago when objections to a new bus contract led to delays. The Council had submitted suggestions for extended hours and new routes, including one to Cieza, and is awaiting a response from the bus company. The manager of YeclaBus has reportedly offered a return bus, although it is not owned by the current service provider.

 

Meanwhile, in Lorca, the local authority is reintroducing its historic bus line to La Parroquia district, which will also extend to El Consejero, La Paca and Zarcilla de Ramos. The Thursday-only service will connect these northern districts with Lorca’s city centre, making essential stops to allow residents access to health, shopping, and cultural facilities before returning home before midday.

 

Councilor Carmen Menduiña explained, “Our priority has been to restore this service so that residents can run their errands and have dignified and stable public transportation, a key factor in combating depopulation.” The new circular route will start and end at Santa Paula Oval, serving the mentioned districts.

 

The campaigners in Jumilla and Lorca’s transport initiative both underline the vital role of reliable bus services in connecting rural and semi-urban communities and supporting daily life.

 

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