The Tranvia tram system in Vélez-Málaga has ended 2009 with the worst set of figures since it began in 2006, the number of passengers using the service continuing to decline.
Passenger numbers for 2009 were 695.038, a mere 60% of the total needed to make the system a viable proposition and this means that the Council has to make up the shortfall under the current transport agreement with the operators. In monetary terms, the Council will have to pay out €793,448 which is 472,291 tickets at €1.68 each.
In 2007, the number of passengers using the service was 908,857 and in 2008 this fell to 782,126.
The Council has been adopting a series of new measures to try and encourage the use of the Tranvia, such as stopping buses run by private companies from operating along the same routes.