The Government of Asturias has successfully blocked a proposed increase in fees for transport operators at the Gijón Transport Centre, which was put forward by Pelayo Barcia, a councillor from the Forum party and president of the centre. The regional executive argues that the current challenges faced by the sector, exacerbated by rising fuel prices, necessitate measures to prevent further financial strain on these professionals.
In light of this situation, the government has proposed freezing the fees as a more suitable response while fuel prices remain high, a situation attributed to ongoing conflicts in Iran. Following the regional government's proposal, Barcia decided to withdraw his initiative and instead put forward the government's suggestion for a vote, which was ultimately approved despite opposition from Podemos and IU, and abstention from Vox.
The original proposal from the Gijón City Council would have resulted in a 3.5% increase in fees for transport and logistics professionals using the centre's facilities. The regional government maintains that a public facility should support the sectors it serves, advocating for the fee freeze in alignment with major organisations representing the road freight transport sector, including Asetra, Cesintra, and UITA.
This decision to freeze fees at the transport centre is part of broader initiatives by the Asturias government to support families and the local economy during this period of high fuel prices, which includes reducing the monthly cap on the CONECTA card to €20. Furthermore, representatives from the Asturias government have called for shared responsibility between the regional and municipal administrations in managing and financing the centre, as the regional government has been providing funding unilaterally.
The executive has also highlighted the importance of ensuring the centre maintains its activity levels, warning that an increase in fees could deter professionals from using the facility. This could lead to other areas of the city becoming makeshift truck parking zones or sites for goods transfer, a scenario the government seeks to avoid.
