TIMETABLE TO CHANGE

COSTA del Sol residents are demanding action over the ‘shambolic’ state of public transport on the coast. They are demanding action with buses running roughly every two hours in the worst-served areas and rarely running to a timetable - even often leaving early.

Residents without a car are finding their quality of life impacted and basic necessities badly compromised. The damage to the environment is incalculable.

Timings, schedules and lack of buses a ‘disgrace’, claim expat residents

By Walter Finch

A

The number one complaint is that the buses, especially south-west of Marbella, are just not reliable.

But many criticise frequent timetable changes that are not updated and there’s no way to find out until it’s too late.

“For somebody that doesn’t have a car, living in this area is a true nightmare,” Louisa Nunn, 62, a Manilva-based ex- pat, told the Olive Press “There are not enough buses. And because there’s no train service, there’s no alternative,” Louisa (below), from Brighton, continued.

“So if you want to get into Malaga or Marbella, or somewhere like La Cañada shopping centre, you have to get a taxi. And not everybody is wealthy enough to afford that.”

Another related issue is that the buses do not stick to the timetable and are known to often leave the terminal early and not wait at stops until their sched uled time.

“While the buses themselves are fine, you just can’t rely on them and there are simply not enough of them,” said Keith Franks, who lives in Estepona.

Louisa added: “I was in Malaga on Tuesday, and I’m glad I got to the bus station early because the bus left five minutes before schedule,” added Louisa.

“It’s disgusting because had I been a bit delayed, I would have missed it and the next one to Manilva was an hour and a half later.”

Estepona-based retired nurse Michael Lendrum, 56, who doesn’t own a car, said he would sooner borrow a friend’s vehicle than rely on public transport.

“A bus can come 30 minutes either side of the scheduled time,” he observed. “And so bad are the buses that you can’t take a flight at Malaga airport before 11am as the first buses won’t get you there before 8.30am.

Continues on page 4

Opinion Page 6

Dirty Sunday

OPERA singer Placido Domingo is facing historical sexual harassment charges after an anonymous singer claimed he asked to touch her inappropriately at a theatre in Spain in the early 2000s.

Long shifts

A transport company boss in La Linea has been arrested for forcing his workers to drive more hours than the legal limit, with him accused of 200 crimes of falsifying documents.

Binned!

AN alleged serial arsonist responsible for lighting 11 fires in public bins during a series of early morning attacks in Fuengirola last summer, has been arrested.

Mum killer

POLICE have arrested a 39-year-old man in Malaga who is accused of killing his mother during a row.

THE family of a missing expat mother feared murdered in Spain have released balloons to remember her on her 40th birthday.

There are still no answers to what happened to Lisa Brown (inset), who went missing in November, 2015.

The prime suspect meanwhile, has escaped from jail and is still at large.

Dean Woods, aka Simon Corner, was on day release from Sudbury prison, when he absconded and did not return.

Birthday tears

The 40-year-old yacht dealer was just two years into a 12-year stretch for his involvement in an €9 million cocaine ring. Woods has long been suspected of being behind the disappearance of his ex-partner Lisa, who lived near Sotogrande. He was quizzed by cops after Lisa, from Scotland, failed to collect her eight-yearold son from school in Guadiaro.

“This isn’t the day we wanted for her,” her sister Helen told the Olive Press having released the balloons near Glasgow on Friday. “We will never be able to properly honour Lisa while the prime suspect remains on the run. Lisa isn't at peace - she’s dumped somewhere so how can she possibly be at peace.”