Transportes La Pardilla SL, the company awarded the urban public transport service in Telde since 2017, has reported that the municipal council has failed to pay 689,092.66 euros, corresponding to deficits from 2021, 2022, and 2023. This amount, recognized by a final judgment, increases daily with late payment interest and legal costs, now exceeding 850,000 euros.
The non-payment occurs despite a judicial order from the Contentious-Administrative Court No. 3 of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which, during the execution phase of the judgment, required the Telde City Council to prove payment or justify its non-compliance within ten days. The council's lack of response constitutes a direct breach of a final judgment, enabling coercive measures and the imposition of aggravated interest.
In addition to the non-payment for the 2021-2023 fiscal years, there is a deficit generated in subsequent years, increasing annually due to the extension of free public service: Over 400,000 euros in 2024 (audited); over 500,000 euros in 2025 (pending final audit in July 2026) and additional accumulated deficit in ongoing 2026. This places the structural deficit of the service at over 1 million additional euros, which, added to the judicial debt, puts the company in a critical economic situation.
The situation is exacerbated by the growing structural deficit, estimated at over one million additional euros for 2024, 2025, and 2026, due to free transport for residents and increased users. Transportes La Pardilla warns that, given the lack of solutions and payment guarantees, from May 1, 2026, it might be forced to demand direct payment for the service from users to ensure its continuity.
The company has held meetings with municipal officials during 2026, but without securing a specific date for the payment of the judicially recognized debt. This administrative inaction endangers over 150 direct jobs and the provision of essential services, including school transport. Transportes La Pardilla does not rule out a scenario of insolvency or closure if the non-payment persists, which would have severe social and economic consequences for Telde.
In response to the judicial non-compliance, the company has announced it will initiate coercive measures, request punitive interest for execution breach, and evaluate additional actions against administrative inactivity. It demands that the Telde City Council immediately comply with the judgment, pay the full debt, and adopt urgent measures to guarantee the service's viability.
