In Tacoronte, the bus station, conceived as a strategic hub, remains unfinished and in an advanced state of deterioration. Residents describe it as "ghostly," pointing out dangers such as rusted enclosures, broken windows, accumulated garbage, and flooding during heavy rain. Overgrown vegetation and graffiti complete the image of neglect, causing embarrassment among residents.
Currently, only two Titsa bus lines operate near the station, while three other key lines use a conventional bus shelter a few meters away. The public company does not use the original terminal due to a lack of safety conditions. Students and residents express their dissatisfaction with the contrast to better-maintained stations like the one in La Laguna.
The demolition and parking construction project in Tacoronte, approved in 2022, has not materialized. Nor did a previous plan from 2007-2011 for a seven-story building with parking and offices succeed. The administrations have not specified a clear strategy for the plot, leaving a building in ruins.
Meanwhile, in Puerto de la Cruz, the old bus station on Melchor Luz street, inaugurated in 1986, has been closed since 2009 due to serious structural deficiencies. The 15,000-square-meter building is boarded up, covered with obsolete municipal advertising, and has become a hotspot for insecurity and neglect, as reported by residents.
After an 11-year logistical gap, a new station was inaugurated in 2019. However, the demolition of the old infrastructure will begin in June 2026, with an 18-month timeframe and an investment exceeding five million euros. The project includes the creation of a large plaza, an auditorium, public and commercial buildings, and 900 parking spaces.
Residents, like Manuel Hernández, express their resignation at the slow pace of solutions, recalling the past vibrancy of the area. The demolition of the old Puerto de la Cruz station is set to be one of the most transformative projects for the municipality in the last four decades, aiming to improve mobility, cultural spaces, and create a community gathering point.
