Ourense urban bus contract dispute

In late July 2026, drivers for the Urbanos de Ourense service protested delayed salaries, blaming the concessionaire Avanza and the city council for a €14 million arrears backlog. The following weeks saw the Galicia Public Procurement Tribunal (Tacgal) annul the award of the 2026‑2031 urban bus contract, citing inadequate garage facilities, underestimated personnel costs and insufficient financial solvency. The decision forced a new tender and intensified scrutiny of municipal planning.

On 6 August 2026, Tacgal reiterated the annulment, confirming the technical and financial deficiencies. Regional socialist leaders (PSdeG) attributed the failure to poor planning, while the BNG described the deal as costly mismanagement. In the same ruling, Tacgal reversed a €3.16 million waste‑container contract, re‑awarding it to Formato Verde after a detailed technical review. These developments underscore ongoing procurement challenges and political pressure surrounding public transport services in Ourense.