Alicante bus drivers' ultimatum: indefinite strike from December 9 without agreement

The strike committee demands immediate action from authorities and the company Vectalia to improve working conditions and renew the fleet. Negotiations are at a standstill — passengers risk being left without transport.

Interurban bus drivers in Alicante (Spain) have issued an ultimatum to the Valencian regional government and concessionaire Automóviles La Alcoyana: if no agreement is reached soon, an indefinite strike will begin on December 9, 2025. Representatives of the largest union, CGT, announced this, condemning the authorities' "uncertainty and irresponsibility."

The conflict has intensified after failed negotiations at the Interurban Bus Labour Council. Drivers complain about an outdated fleet (70% of buses older than 12 years), overcrowded routes (passenger numbers exceeding the contract by 2 million), and disrupted schedules. "We're forced to use buses with over 10 years of service, change routes at our discretion, and leave people stranded at stops," the committee stated. They demand direct management of the service by the Generalitat, as with TRAM, and salary indexation to inflation.

Planned strike dates:

November 20–21, 2025: Full paralysis of routes, including Busco and the Alcoy–Alicante line.
Starting December 9: Indefinite, unless progress is made.

This continues a long-standing dispute: in 2023, a strike was called off after a partial agreement, but the problems have returned. In summer 2025, strikes paralyzed transport during the Hogueras de San Juan festival, and in October, key airport routes were affected.

Passengers are advised to check updates on the Vectalia website (alicante.vectalia.es) and plan alternatives: taxis, car-sharing, or private transport. The union urges authorities to "end the deadlock" and invest in a service used by hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists in Alicante.

Source: Alicante Plaza, TodoAlicante.es (17.11.2025)