The Canary Islands Government have introduced a series of amendments to the Road Transport Regulation Law aimed at incorporating sustainability measures, reflecting current environmental standards set by the EU. The changes were announced by the Regional Minister of Public Works, Housing, and Mobility, Pablo Rodríguez, and the Director General of Transport, María Fernández.
These new sustainability requirements will impact how Cabildos and local councils issue licenses for taxis and private hire vehicles (VTCs). The updated regulations come in response to the increasing number of license applications, with 8,500 pending approvals in Gran Canaria and Tenerife, mostly for VTCs.
This surge could potentially limit the entry of major app-based services like Uber and Cabify into the Canary Islands, even though there are already various VTC operators active in the archipelago.
The new decree-law modifies the 2007 transport regulation to align with European environmental requirements. The aim is to ensure that the growth of transportation services does not compromise the environmental quality of the islands.
This includes integrating sustainability into the licensing process for both taxis, which are managed by municipal authorities, and VTCs, which fall under the jurisdiction of the island councils (Cabildos).
The new regulations mandate that both current and pending licenses must undergo assessments that include road capacity studies and air quality measurements. "We want to ensure that the ability of people to travel is balanced with environmental protection and infrastructure capacity," Fernández said.
Under the new law, island and local councils will have the tools to apply consistent sustainability criteria when granting licenses and permits. This includes considerations such as the impact on road congestion and environmental degradation, aiming to prevent the excessive proliferation of vehicles.
The decree-law will be published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC) this week and will come into effect immediately. It will then be submitted to the Canary Islands Parliament for validation or potential repeal.
Both Rodríguez and Fernández are optimistic about its approval, emphasising the collaborative effort involved in drafting the new regulations. This effort included input from various stakeholders, including the seven island councils, the Canary Federation of Municipalities, transport operators, and unions.
