Change to passport service for British nationals in Spain and Andorra

New procedures are coming into force from Monday 13th May 2013 for British citizens in Spain and Andorra when applying for a new passport.

One of the main changes is that instead of applications being dealt with in Madrid, they are now to be handled in Belfast and it is there that applications are to be sent. Many people probably use the services of an agent to facilitate their applications, and those agents no doubt will be aware of this change themselves, but it is as well to be aware of it "just in case".

You can read full details of the announcement of the change in the British Government website here.

Incidentally, another change taking place, effective Tuesday 14th May 2013, is that the British Consulate in Alicante is moving premises to: British Consulate in Alicante, Edificio Espacio, Rambla Méndez Núñez 28-30, 6ta planta (6th floor), Alicante 03002. Telephone and fax numbers remain as before. Full details here.

Mazarrón to reduce cadastral values next year plus other Council decisions

In a full meeting held on 26th February, Mazarrón council unanimously voted to approve a request to the Dirección General de Catastro ('Central Real Property Valuation Directorate') to reduce cadastral values in the municipality by 0.73 per cent of the 2013 co-efficients. If approved, this would result in a reduction of the local Property Tax (IBI - Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles) in 2014.

Unanimous approval was also given for a proposal to change a street name from "Iñaki Urdangarín" (see * at end) to "Ginés Navarro Martínez" to commemorate and honour a local businessman and politician.

Also approved, but only with those in the governing team voting in favour, was a Municipal Ordinance Regulating the Handling of planning permission. The councillor for Infrastructure and Planning, Francisco García, explained the purpose thus: "una vez presentado el plazo de alegaciones correspondiente, procedemos a la aprobación de esta ordenanza destinada a mejorar el servicio que se presta a los ciudadanos en materia urbanística desde el consistorio. Dicha ordenanza permitirá a los ciudadanos que sus trámites administrativos sean más ágiles" ("once presented with relevant data, we will proceed to adopt this ordinance to improve the service provided to citizens when registering property matters with the Town Hall. This ordinance will allow citizens to carry out their administrative obligations more easily."). My comment - it remains to be seen what will be the practical effect of the new municipal ordnance.

Finally, in an unanimous vote, the council rejected proposals to privatise the Tabilla (water transport network). The councillor for the Environment (Medio Ambiente), David Fernández, stated: "siempre ha funcionado bien y cuya posible privatización repercutiría, sin lugar a dudas, en una subida del recibo del agua que no podemos permitir" ('[the present system has] always worked well and a possible privatization would result, certainly, in a rise in water bills that we cannot afford').

Source: Murcia.com/Mazarrón here.

* - this is the Duke of Palma, the son-in-law of the Spanish King and who is currently under investigation for financial irregularities.

News about navigability on the A7 and AP7 in Murcia Region

I have just come across an article about navigability on the A7 and the AP-7 in Murcia region, in the wake of the damage caused by the rainstorms in September 2012.

The linked article, from La Verdad, is dated 14th January 2013 and in summary reports that:
- On the A7, the bridge across the Rambla de Béjar, between Lorca and Puerto Lumbreras, was scheduled to re-open to traffic on 15th January 2013; this was one of the most badly-damaged sections of the road affected by the storms last September;
- On the AP-7, it is announced that the bridge on the Cartagena-Vera sector in the direction of Cartagena is expected to re-open later in January 2013, whereas the bridge in the direction of Vera should open in the first half of February.

If you are planning to travel on either of these routes in the near-ish future, it may be wise to verify their viability by checking in the Spanish 'Google' website (google.es) - the search term I used this evening was "AP7 cartagena vera" - obviously the search results will be to articles in Spanish and you may need to make use of 'Google Translate' if you are not able to read Spanish easily.

Toll motorway charges in Spain for 2013

It's that time of year again when toll motorway charges in Spain are normally increased. Quite what the authorities think they are playing at carrying on increasing toll charges just as usual when the country is going through a pretty dramatic economic retrenchment is anyone's guess, but no doubt the Spanish government knows its own business (or at least I hope it does). Of course the motorway infrastructure needs to be maintained, even at a minimal level and I suppose it is a balance between accepting the possibility of reduced toll motorway usage (at least on some routes), hence presumably less wear and tear, even if the normal damage caused by annual temperature changes, rain and snow etc will happen anyway whatever the usage is. Perhaps the worry is that holding the tariffs static for several years, or even reducing them significantly to boost usage, would only result in higher repair costs which the country can ill-afford. In any case, we are where we are and the tariffs have increased [yet] again, just as if everything is 'hunky-dory' with the economy.

For the toll motorway in the part of the country that concerns me most directly, the AP-7 between Cartagena and Vera, the tariff has increased by roughly 5.5% since January 2012, although there was an interim increment of about 2.8% in September 2012 as a result of the general increase in TVA in Spain then, with the remainder of the increase now. In concrete terms this means that the tariff for the sector from Cartagena to Mazarrón was €5.40 in January 2012, rose to €5.55 in September 2012 and as from January 2013 it is €5.70.

You can download the 2013 tariffs for many of the toll motorways in Spain, or at least those which now depend directly upon government financial assistance for their continuing ability to operate, including the AP-7 Cartagena-Vera sector, in the Ministry of Development (Ministerio de Fomento) website here (all the files available there are in .pdf format).

You can also download the 2013 tariff for the AP-7 Cartagena-Vera sector from the Aucosta website (the concessionaire for this route) here - click on "Peajes y Tarifas", then then "Tarifas" and finally "Cuadro tarifas peaje 2013" to see the relevant .pdf document. Or you can visit various pages in my own Spanish website (click on "Location") to see toll fees for selected segments (for example here, here and here) in a more readily-accessible format.

Happy New Year folks

This blog entry is really just to indicate that I am still here and that I wish everyone who happens to pass this way a very Happy New Year for 2013.

Of late, however, I have felt no particular impulse to blog regularly so have not done so. Whenever anything that I consider to be of especial interest happens, though, I shall most probably record it in print here.

Meantime - Go in Peace.

Could important announcements be coming soon about opening of Corvera Airport?

There is nothing as yet which merits the word "definite" relating to the opening of Corvera International Airport, but perhaps some positive news is imminent, if one places credence in the indications given by the Delegate of the [Spanish] Government to Murcia Region, Joaquín Bascuñana, who has said in somewhat Delphic manner that the airport is "un puzzle a punto de terminarse" ('a puzzle nearing completion') and has predicted that before the end of the year will be announced "noticias positivas" ('positive news') about its opening in the first half of 2013. Bascuñana has explained that in the final days [of the year he expects] that the final stages of the process will be in place, [such] as the closure by Aena of the civilian flights at San Javier (MJV) when it [Corvera] opens.

He has indicated that "muy pronto" ('very soon') the "voluntad de diálogo y el empeño" ('willingness to dialogue and commitment') of the central and regional governments will bear fruit in relation to this infrastructure [project].

Well, we shall see. However, if Sr. Bascuñana's pronouncements have any meaning at all, perhaps it indicates that there are grounds for optimism that Corvera may soon be about to open.

Source: (La Verdad) Bascuñana: "El aeropuerto de Corvera es un puzzle a punto de terminarse"

Extreme optimism (not to say 'fantasy'!) about the projected Paramount Murcia theme park

I do hate to pour cold water on what Murcia Region Minister of Culture and Tourism, Pedro Alberto Cruz, has to say about the prospects for the projected Paramount theme park to be built near Alhama de Murcia, which he says will begin construction on or around 15th January 2013, but the idea that when the construction does commence (... if it does) that investment to fund it will appear, as if my magic, is just the most bald-faced 'puffery'. Mind you, I hope his forecasts do turn out to happen in real life, not just in his seemingly very fertile imagination, but I will probably not be holding my breath, meantime ...

It will be recalled that the ceremony for the laying of the foundations of this project was held in June 2012. I deliberately did not write about this here at the time, because it seemed to me to be just [another] publicity stunt by the promoter of this project.

The only reason I am writing this article here now is as a 'marker' so that sometime next year, or in 2014, one can look back in the light of what has actually happened and compare it with what was being forecast so optimistically by Sr Pedro Alberto Cruz and Sr Jesus Samper (the promoter) now and indeed last June when they participated in the foundation-laying ceremony. With a bit of luck I will be called upon to eat humble pie, given my extreme scepticism then and now.

Possible changes to vehicle testing rules in Spain, also traffic fine procedures for foreign-registered vehicles

Apparently the Government is considering changes to motor vehicle testing rules in Spain. The scope of the changes has not yet been approved, nor has a date been fixed for this, but it is expected to be 'soon'.

Another change I have read about is that the Spanish authorities are actively looking at ways of levying traffic offence fines on foreign registered vehicles more easily, to reduce the ease with which such vehicles being driven on Spanish roads can avoid paying fines.

The proposals being considered:
- first ITV/MOT at 4 years (as at present)
- next ITV/MOT at 6 years then annually (instead of at 10 years)
- any vehicle involved in a serious accident will have to pass an ITV/MOT

The aim is to encourage a renewal of the Spanish car fleet by encouraging sales of new vehicles, apparently one of the oldest in Europe.

Source (re ITV/MOT) - here
Source (re traffic fines for foreign-registered vehicles) - here

IAG (Iberia & BA) considering takeover bid for Vueling

It is being reported that International Airlines Group (which comprises Iberia and British Airways) is considering a bid for 100 per cent of 'low cost' Spanish airline Vueling. Iberia already holds a 45.85 per cent stake in Vueling.

With the announcement last month that Vueling will be adding many other routes, including London, this may become another viable carrier for UK/Spain traffic.

PS/ Looking at the Vueling website, it seems that the direct UK flights are from London (Heathrow) to A Coruna, Bilbao and Galicia, and from London (Gatwick) to Barcelona, so not of much practical use for those travelling to most of Mediterranean Spain, but it is still an interesting development and the sample flight Gatwick/Barcelona that I looked at seems to be very competitively-priced. Flights to A Coruna, Bilbao and Galicia are already in place, whereas flights to Barcelona commence in April 2013. (Note - I suspect the existing flights are code-sharing operations with Iberia, as these flights are from Heathrow Terminal 3 and it is inconceivable that it is a low-cost airline flying this route.)

Constitutional Court again upholds gay marriage law

Spain's Constitutional Court has once more upheld the 2005 law granting same-sex couples the right to marry, with 8 voting for and 3 against with one judge abstaining.

This follows on from the similar vote earlier in the year, which I wrote about here.

As I wrote in that earlier article, doesn't Mariano Rajoy have more important things to worry about than attempting to reverse gay-marriage laws, for example getting the Spanish economy back into some semblance of order?