€1.5 million to keep Murcia's rural bus routes running

The regional government will support eight intercity routes serving 15 municipalities where services would otherwise be at risk

Bus links between towns across the Region of Murcia are to receive a €1.5 million boost, after the regional government approved funding to keep less profitable intercity routes running.

The Governing Council approved the measure at its meeting on Thursday October 8 at the San Esteban Palace. The money will go to the companies operating eight bus routes, which together serve 15 municipalities.

The aim is to make sure that routes which do not cover their costs do not disappear, leaving residents without a way to travel for work, school, medical appointments or journeys between towns.

Regional government spokesperson Marisa López Aragón said the support was about protecting access to everyday services.

“We want to avoid a situation where living in a municipality or travelling between regions means having fewer opportunities,” she said.

The aid will offset the deficit on passenger transport concessions, helping the operators maintain services that are economically and financially sustainable. The regional government says this will guarantee the continuity of essential public transport.

The routes receiving support are Águilas to Lorca; Águilas, Mazarrón and Murcia; Yecla, Jumilla and Murcia; Torre Pacheco, Los Alcázares, La Unión and Murcia; Cartagena and Murcia; Calasparra, Caravaca de la Cruz and Murcia; Murcia to Lorca; and Abarán, Calasparra, Moratalla, Caravaca de la Cruz, Cieza and Murcia.

For people living in smaller towns and rural areas, these connections can be vital. They provide a link to hospitals, schools, jobs and shops in larger centres, particularly for those who do not drive.

“The mobility needs of the population are being met and the provision of these public services is guaranteed,” the regional minister added.

The funding reflects the regional government’s view that public transport should not depend solely on whether a route makes a profit. By supporting the operators directly, it hopes to keep buses running between municipalities that might otherwise lose their service.

Image: tmurcia.com