“"We are aware that these improvements should already be in operation and we understand that citizens want to see them as soon as possible. The failure to sign the new contract has delayed their implementation, and we must explain this clearly. We will not abandon improving Irunbus due to difficulties in a contracting process. Our commitment is not only to maintain the current service but to continue improving and adapting it to our city's needs. When we talk about public transport, we are talking about people who need to travel for work, study, go to the hospital, or return to their neighborhoods. We are talking about their time, their autonomy, and their quality of life. That is why it is important that these improvements arrive as soon as possible."
Irun ensures Irunbus improvements will launch despite new contract not being signed
The City Council has found an alternative solution to implement key public transport upgrades without waiting for a new tender process.
By Gorka Uriarte Mendizábal
••3 min read
AI
Generic image: A bus wheel on a wet road in Irun, with a blurred urban background and warm lights.
The Irun City Council has found an alternative solution to launch the main improvements planned for Irunbus, even though the awarded company has not signed the new contract.
The Irun City Council has identified an alternative strategy to ensure the implementation of key enhancements for the Irunbus service, following the failure of the company awarded the new contract, Semura Bus S.L., to sign it. This situation necessitates restarting the contracting process, but the Council has sought a way to incorporate these improvements into the current service under extension, avoiding delays associated with a new tender.
To achieve this, the Council will present a proposal to the municipal plenary to modify the existing contract, allowing for the inclusion of the main improvements planned for Irun's urban public transport. The procurement process for Irunbus has been lengthy and complex, with an initial tender initiated in 2023 being cancelled due to an appeal. A subsequent procedure concluded in April 2026 with the contract awarded to Semura Bus S.L., but the company has yet to formalize it despite repeated requests from the Council.
The municipal proposal outlines three main actions: reinforcing Line 1 (Zaisa-Hospital) with an additional bus to improve punctuality and adherence to schedules; creating the new Line 5 to better connect areas like Elizatxo, Lapice, and Mendibil with the city center and the Ficoba/Gal area; and increasing the frequency of the Gautxori night service from hourly to every 30 minutes on routes to Behobia and Ventas.
These initiatives aim to adapt Irunbus to citizen demands, reflecting the continuous growth in urban public transport usage. In 2025, the service recorded a record of over 2.3 million journeys.
Irun's Mayor, Cristina Laborda, acknowledged the delay in implementing these improvements but emphasized that the Council will continue working on both the new contract's processing and the modification of the current one. "The fact that a contracting process did not go as expected does not mean we have to give up on the improvements our city needs. Administrative procedures have their own timelines and guarantees, but our responsibility is to work to find solutions. And that is what we are doing," she stated.
Based on information from the official source: Ayuntamiento de Irun (12/11/2026)
Related News
