Alex Trelinski
A €1.8 million budget for improving roads and pavements in Orihuela has been announced by the council, with the Orihuela Costa set to benefit first.
The money will come jointly from the authority and the Alicante Provincial Council in an attempt to remedy frequent complaints about the poor surfaces for motorists and pedestrians.
The Orihuela Costa gets the first use of the cash exclusively next year with over €885,000 allocated for repairs, according to Infrastructure councillor, Victor Valverde.
Valverde said that starting out with 30 roads around the coast will respond to ‘an imperative need’.
Attention in 2025 will then turn to Orihuela City and the surrounding villages.
Work will take place in Campoamor, La Zenia, La Ciñuelica, Villamartín, La Florida and Punta Prima, which have seen neighbourhood groups consistently complain about little improvements being made in recent years.
Coastal councillor, Manuel Mestre, said: ”I am perfectly aware of all the deficiencies that we currently suffer because I live in the area and am a direct witness of the significant room for improvement that we need to make.”
Mestre also referred to a strategic plan needed to revitalise the area as a whole which Orihuela council is working on and he suggested a €50 million figure was needed for investment- something that would eat up most of the authority’s budget.
