AN Olive Press marketing campaign to permit resident Brits with no Spanish licence again on the highway is gathering pace.
A pair of expat councillors have joined a whole bunch of supporters of our U-Flip marketing campaign, we launched final subject.
We now have been overwhelmed by the help for our marketing campaign from all walks of life, no pun meant.
And regardless of the British Embassy insisting that an settlement is inching nearer, we’re not taking our foot off the pedal.
We intend to maintain flooring it till a deal has been signed between the UK and Spanish authorities.
Massive wig backing
A PAIR of widespread expat councillors on the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca have jumped to help our marketing campaign.
Darren Parmenter, the councillor for Tourism and Worldwide Relations in San Fulgencio, in Alicante, praised us for our stance and insisted we wanted to maintain the strain on.
Parmenter, 61, from London, stated: “It’s nice that somebody is sticking up for Brits, who’re too typically forgotten about.”
Picture: Darren Parmeter.
And he added: “I’m hopeful there might be an settlement quickly, there needs to be in any other case Spain might be neglected within the chilly by itself.”
He even insisted on citing the matter with the ambassador Hugh Elliot as a part of the current Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.
In the meantime the Councillor of Tourism, in Benahavis, Scott Marshall received behind the trigger.
“I’m amazed there are agreements with virtually all different EU nations however not Spain.
“How can the Spanish authorities make driving in Spain simpler if you’re a British vacationer than a resident?” added the British politician, who has labored on the city corridor for 3 years.
“The principles haven’t been clear from the beginning and there has not been sufficient data supplied to individuals. Effectively completed for serving to them out.”
The 47-year-old, who was born in Spain to British mother and father, added: “This must be sorted out now, Brits are being punished for no purpose in any way. I’m absolutely backing the Olive Press on this.”
Official line
Whereas nothing has but been signed, British ambassador Hugh Elliott insisted negotiations ‘proceed to progress effectively’ on an settlement.
He added he was ‘assured we’re almost there’, however was as soon as once more scant on particulars.
Whereas on June 2 he introduced Brits can be given a six-month leeway interval to swap their licence as soon as a deal had been struck, he couldn’t say when this is able to be.
Picture: Wikipedia.
Critics additionally insisted six months wouldn’t be lengthy sufficient.
“It ought to be greater than a six month time interval,” councillor Parmenter insisted. “On the very least, it ought to be six months to permit Brits to declare their curiosity alone, given what number of examples there are of individuals getting caught in paperwork.”
A wheel for a wheel?
British fintech entrepreneur Paul Roberts instructed the Olive Press it’s time to play hardball in negotiations.
“It’s time for powerful measures. All Spaniards driving within the UK ought to have their licence suspended till we’ve a decision to this disgraceful state of affairs,” the 54-year-old insisted.
The tech maestro, who runs a Welsh startup from his residence on the Costa del Sol, had been contemplating shifting his total workforce over to Malaga metropolis, which is styling itself as Spain’s reply to Silicon Valley.
“I’ve now beached these plans. Not solely is it extraordinarily inconvenient for us Brits, it additionally makes us all really feel extraordinarily unwelcome,” he stated.
“All of them want their heads banging collectively and take extra decisive motion if the Spanish keep on their intransigence.”
He stated the UK authorities ought to give’ every week’s deadline’ to agree the deal after which cease all Spanish drivers within the UK.
He’s livid as regardless of attempting on many events to swap his licence, calls to Spain driving physique, the DGT, have been left unanswered.
The daddy-of-three now has to depend on taxis to get his youngsters to highschool.
He additionally took purpose on the UK ambassador. “The British authorities and Hugh Elliott have been far too lax on this. The time has come to take a agency line or that is going to go on perpetually. A watch for an eye fixed… a automotive for a automotive.
“Effectively completed to the workforce on the Olive Press for placing the strain on!” continued the Welshman.
Lady Energy
Social media group, Girls Driving in Spain, has additionally joined the marketing campaign.
The recommendation web page has supplied a litany of testimonies from its 700-strong membership.
They revealed they’d heard ‘numerous horror tales’ particularly attorneys telling members they couldn’t change their licences till they acquired their residencias.
“All of them utilized earlier than the deadline however by the point they acquired recidencía it was too late to register intent,” stated founder Trinny Vickers.
The mother-of-two, 34, was instructed by the DGT to not fear, as she is Irish however holds a UK licence.
Nevertheless, she has since found the regulation applies to all UK licence holders, regardless of their nationality.
Consequently she is now caught in Albox, Almeria in a deeply rural space with no public transport.
“1000’s have completed the medicals which ought to have allowed them to change earlier than the deadline however that is apparently not registering intent, which many individuals thought it was.”
In a very stunning state of affairs, she revealed that one in every of its members – an aged girl who lived in a rural space with no public transport – lately dedicated suicide following her husband’s demise.
After the lady – who didn’t need to be named – turned stranded at residence due to the licence debacle, she felt life was now not value dwelling.
“Thanks for sticking up for us, we’re absolutely behind the Olive Press”, Vickers stated.
Sad camper
One other sufferer, Deb Lee, 63, instructed the Olive Press: “Thanks a lot for taking on this battle.”
She has had a nightmare since she retired to Spain in September 2020 and instantly tried to get her residency and licence sorted by way of an area British expat, who styled herself as an ‘unbiased advisor’.
Nevertheless she turned out to be ‘a charlatan’ and had no concept of the foundations in place.
Astonishingly, Deb was instructed that the deadline had handed, when in reality the DGT allowed Brits to
register their intention to change their licence earlier than December 30, 2020.
Picture: Deb Lee.
This left her stranded within the small inland city of Crevillente on the Costa Blanca.
“I used to be so remoted. I had nobody to assist me and the retailers for meals have been too distant,” she defined.
So unhealthy was her state of affairs, together with her husband working full time in England as a lorry driver, she lately needed to transfer to a campsite in Catral simply so she has a meals provide close by.
“If it hadn’t been for the help I’ve received from the Girls Driving in Spain fb group, I truthfully assume I might have completed myself in,” she added.
“We’re merely pawns in a political recreation. They preserve saying it’s a matter of weeks, however they’ve been saying that for months now.”
Help our marketing campaign by signing the parliamentary petition HERE.
Or get in contact with your individual tales by emailing newsdesk@theolivepress.es.
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