Ombudsman Reports Orihuela to Spanish Parliament Over Four-Year LEZ Delay

Orihuela still has no operational Low Emission Zone, nearly four years after the legal deadline. The Ombudsman says the project and implementing ordinance remain in draft, despite the council’s earlier timetable for approval.

The Spanish Ombudsman has criticised Orihuela City Council over its continued failure to introduce a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), and will include the delays and non-compliance in the annual report submitted to the Spanish Parliament.

The legal deadline for municipalities required to establish an LEZ was 1 January 2023. In a resolution dated 30 September, the Ombudsman said Orihuela still had no functioning zone.

The council had told the institution that it accepted its recommendations and provided a timetable forecasting final approval of the ordinance in the second quarter of 2026. However, after reviewing the council’s latest information, the Ombudsman found that both the technical project and the ordinance remained in preparation. The institution also noted that the council had rejected 10 of its 11 recommendations.

The PSOE, which disclosed the resolution, said the public consultation on the LEZ project marked progress but called on the governing PP-Vox coalition to explain the delays.

Socialist councillor Luis Quesada said the issue formed part of the council’s wider mobility policy. The PSOE has previously criticised the extension of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan to 2028 and raised concerns about transparency during its development.

“We have been warning for months about delays in mobility planning,” Quesada said. He called on the mayor to explain the coalition’s strategy and priorities, and why Orihuela continued to miss deadlines. He also demanded a realistic timetable and guarantees that the LEZ would meet residents’ needs.

Quesada said sustainable mobility should improve air quality and public health, but argued that traffic restrictions must be accompanied by practical transport alternatives, clear information and safeguards for residents, workers and businesses, particularly in Orihuela Costa. He also called for transparency about the projected income from fines and how the figure had been calculated.

The draft project, which is currently open to public comment, proposes introducing the LEZ in phases across three areas. It estimates that fines could generate €1.7 million in 2031. The scheme is expected to cost nearly €3.5 million and would restrict traffic according to vehicle emissions classification and residency status.

The three areas are the historic centre, where restrictions would be strongest because of its protected status and the aim of encouraging pedestrian access; the wider urban centre, where through-traffic would be discouraged; and Orihuela Costa, where parking would be regulated without a general perimeter restricting access.

Further administrative steps will be required after the consultation, including approval of the ordinance, which will define exemptions and penalties, installation of signs and traffic-control technology, and the creation of systems to manage the scheme and monitor air quality and noise.

SEE ALSO: New LEZ Proposals to impose Beachfront Parking Restrictions on Orihuela Costa

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