News in Brief for Alicante province's Costa Blanca South area

More trains ELCHE’S mayor Carlos Gonzalez announced that Spain’s rail operato, Renfe, will increase the number of AVE high speed trains linking the city and Madrid. Currently  there are two trains in each direction on weekdays, with one at the weekend, but demand would increase with more trains Gonzalez argued.
Better year THERE was a 50 per cent increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting the Costa Blanca in 2021 compared with 2020, revealed Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).  Totalling just over four million, they spent €2.6 billion when visiting the area, 66 per cent more than in 2020.
Invaders out TORREVIEJA’S Beaches and Environment department has removed 18 cubic metres of the Uña de Gato (Cat’s Claw) plant known as Hottentot Fig in English. Native to South Africa and regarded here as an invasive species, it was colonising dunes in the Molina del Agua park and La Mata.
Wider road  THE Diputacion provincial council intends to spend €615,000 on widening the CV-873 on a two-kilometre stretch of road through officially protected land between Albatera and Hondon de los Frailes.  This is the only road that provides a direct link from the Vega Baja apart from the A-31 motorway.
Five-year term THE Elche youth, who confessed to shooting dead his parents and younger brother after his internet connection was cut off as a punishment, is to spend the next five years in a young offenders’ centre.  Following this he will be released on probation for the following six years.