pope leo xiv visit canary islands transport concerns

Transport fears over Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Canary Islands

Transport fears over Pope’s visit to the Canary Islands

The Canary Islands Transport Federation has voiced multiple concerns about the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Gran Canaria and Tenerife on 11 and 12 June. As is typical with major events, industry professionals warn that “parishes and groups make their arrangements first and then call up to book a coach, by which time it is often too late.”

Coach fleet capacity under scrutiny

This is not the only worry for the island’s passenger road transport sector. In Tenerife, there is a fleet of 2,200 coaches, comprising 660 operated by Titsa and a further 1,600 private vehicles. These buses have a total capacity of 100,000 passengers, given that 50 per cent of the fleet can accommodate around 50 people each, while 40 per cent are minibuses with an average capacity of 25.

Authorities criticised for lack of clarity

Another source of anxiety for the federation is the lack of clear direction from the authorities, who are still awaiting details of the Pope’s itinerary. Transport companies already have commitments with the education department for school transport, and must also consider the knock-on effect on the tourism sector. This is compounded by the concentration of demand around specific times of day.

Calls for clearer logistics ahead of papal visit

Members of the Canary Islands Transport Federation report that they have attended some meetings, but the exact route of the Pope’s visit has yet to be confirmed. They have stressed their concerns about the logistics affecting discretionary public transport. “Our experience tells us that public transport is the last thing people think about,” they warn.

They have also raised unresolved questions, such as: “Where would a large volume of coaches operate in Santa Cruz? Has provision been made for transporting people with reduced mobility?” They have expressed fears of a possible traffic collapse caused by the movement of pilgrims attending events with the Pope.

Editor’s note: The original Spanish text refers to “Pope Leo XIV”. However, historically, the last Pope to bear the name Leo was Leo XIII (died 1903), and there has been no Pope Leo XIV. The current Pontiff is Pope Francis. Readers should be aware of this apparent factual inaccuracy in the source material.

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