Tenerife President Blames Madrid for Stalled Highway Tow Truck Service

Tensions over traffic management in Tenerife have flared up again between the island’s government (the Cabildo) and the central government in Madrid. Rosa Dávila, president of the Cabildo, has publicly criticized what she calls "administrative paralysis," claiming it is blocking the launch of a rapid-response tow truck service designed to clear accidents from the island’s highways.

The issue stems from a lack of authorization from the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT). The Cabildo began the process in October 2023, working with local traffic officials to identify high-risk areas. Despite a commitment from the central government to have the service operational in Tenerife and Gran Canaria by August, the project remains stalled with no official explanation for the delay.

Dávila has suggested that this silence is politically motivated, accusing the opposition PSOE party of potentially influencing the state administration to hinder the project. She describes the situation as part of a wider pattern of "systematic abandonment" and poor coordination between local and national authorities.

Technically, the service is not intended to solve the island’s long-term traffic issues, but rather to act as a stopgap. The goal is to quickly clear minor accidents that, while not serious, cause significant traffic jams on major roads. The Cabildo’s frustration highlights the difficulties of managing infrastructure when it relies on multiple levels of government. So far, the DGT has not commented on why the service remains on hold.