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ARCHIVED - ITV tests in the Valencia Region revert to public management
New ITV stations will be created so that motorists on the Costa Blanca don't have to travel more than 30km from their home
After 25 years under private management, the Technical Inspection of Vehicles (ITV) service in the Valencia Region will this week begin the first phase of its return to regional government control.
The official contracts with concessionary companies, who are now at loggerheads with the Valencian Government over the "hastily" handled handover, officially come to an end on Friday February 24 and March 3.
The transfer of management was scheduled to take place on January 1, but was extended for two months.
The main objectives of the Sociedad de ITV are to improve the public service and to ensure that citizens do not have to travel more than 30 km from their place of residence. As such, new ITV stations in Torrent, Valencia, and in the interior of Castellón will be created, and stations in Santa Pola, Calpe and El Campello, Alicante province will be made permanent.
The handover initially affects ITV stations in Alcoy, Benidorm, Gandia, Ondara, Ontinyent, Orihuela-San Bartolomé, Redován, Torrevieja, Utiel, Villena, Vinaròs and Xàtiva.
On March 3, the following stations will revert to public management: Alicante, Alzira, Castelló, Catarroja, Elche, Llíria, Massalfassar, Riba-roja de Túria, Sagunt-Port de Sagunt, San Antonio de Benagéber, Valencia-Campanar, Valencia-Vara de Quart and Vila-real.
A new appointment platform is currently being developed and the Generalitat has asked for the public's understanding in the face of a possible flood of requests. It is also advising that on the day after the end of the contracts - i.e. February 25 and March 4 - these ITV stations will be closed.
So what does this mean for motorists?
A few years after the privatisation was implemented, in 2004, a sonometry test for vehicles to pass the ITV was introduced, and hiked the price of the test. This has now been abolished and, with a budget of 80 million euros, the reduced fares will be maintained for this year, at least.
Currently, ITV prices in the Valencia Region are as follows: 44.23 euros for petrol cars, 34.49 euros for non-catalysed petrol cars, and 48.31 euros for diesel cars.
The elimination of the sonometry test has led to a saving of 11.25 euros for vehicles that pass the ITV.
But not everybody is in favour of the move, and in recent months, the Association of ITV Concessionary Entities of the Valencian Community (AECOVA) has warned of the "imminent chaos" that is going to occur and the "illegal" way in which the Regional Ministry of Economy is undertaking the process.
"It will lead to the start of lawsuits by the concessionaires due to disagreements in the contract settlements," according to AECOVA spokesman, Francisco Llopis, referring in part to compensation for station closures during the period of Covid State of Alarm.
In his opinion, the Generalitat should follow the State Contracts Law and should have called a public tender for supplies (computer systems or staff training).
He also criticises the fact that the government intends to take over the facilities and assets "on the last day" of the concession without giving a "reasonable time" for the "hasty" handover.
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Image: Pixabay
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