The Ajei Taxi Cooperative, based in San Bartolomé, opposes the implementation of temporary licenses for the summer. The sector advocates for better organisation and coordination with the councils.
The Ajei Taxi Cooperative, in the municipality of San Bartolomé, has expressed its strong opposition to the proposal to implement temporary taxi licenses to reinforce the service during the summer season in Lanzarote. Its president, Andrés Stinga, described the initiative as misguided and difficult to apply in the current context.
From the sector's perspective, the problem of increased demand in summer is not solved by creating new licenses, but by improving the existing organisation. Therefore, they advocate for greater coordination between taxi drivers and councils to strengthen the presence of vehicles in key locations such as airports, ports, and tourist areas with high concentrations of visitors.
Stinga reminded that the granting of new licenses is currently suspended by the Government of the Canary Islands until August 2027, which further complicates its possible implementation. Additionally, he questioned the economic viability of the proposal, noting that there is no specific budget allocation to finance these temporary licenses.
Another uncertainty raised by the sector is the origin of the drivers who would cover this reinforcement. Stinga questioned whether the intention is to transfer professionals from other municipalities or even from other islands, which in his view shows that the measure is not sufficiently defined and that, under current conditions, it is unfeasible.
For the Ajei Taxi Cooperative, the solution lies in optimising the available resources and improving service management, thus avoiding situations such as long queues or a lack of taxis during peak tourist demand. They insist that the key is better coordination between the taxi drivers themselves and the local administrations.
The proposal for temporary licenses had emerged as a possible response to the increase in demand during the summer months, especially in tourist areas such as Playa Blanca, Costa Teguise, or Puerto del Carmen. However, the sector believes that before creating new licenses, all avenues for improving current management should be exhausted.
The Ajei Cooperative, which groups the majority of taxi drivers in San Bartolomé, will continue working on coordination proposals with the island's councils to ensure an efficient service during the high season, without resorting to measures they consider hasty and poorly thought out.
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