Santa Cruz de Tenerife Traffic Cameras Disabled Due to Contract Lapse
Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s "photo-red" traffic cameras are currently inactive due to an expired maintenance contract, prompting the city to plan a tender for a new, expanded enforcement system.
Traffic enforcement in Santa Cruz de Tenerife has hit a temporary roadblock. According to local reports, the city’s two "photo-red" traffic cameras have been out of service for the past two weeks. The shutdown is due to an administrative delay: the municipal council failed to renew the maintenance contract, meaning the cameras cannot currently issue fines.
This is a notable gap in enforcement, as these two cameras—located near Casa Cuna in Miramar and at the intersection of Avenida de San Sebastián and La Salle—processed over 3,500 tickets last year. Running a red light typically results in a 200-euro fine and the loss of four license points, penalties intended to prevent accidents in busy urban areas.
Gladis de León, the Councilor for Citizen Security, confirmed that the City Council is currently drafting the paperwork to put the service out to tender. The goal is to award a new contract by late this year or early next year. Beyond simply restarting the current system, the council plans to expand it. The new contract will allow for cameras to be installed at other key locations, with a focus on high-pedestrian areas, such as the stretch of General del Rosario road near a local school.
This situation highlights how much local authorities rely on outsourced technology to manage traffic. While the city works to finalize the new contract, enforcement at these intersections now depends entirely on the physical presence of police officers, raising questions about whether the system remains an effective deterrent without the constant watch of automated cameras.