https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Unions are targeting traditionally busy travel days during Spain's long May Day 'puente' in calling for walkouts by petrol station staff. https://www.thelocal.es/20260421/spanish-unions-call-petrol-station-strike-over-may-bank-holiday-weekend Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:47:06 +0200 spanish-unions-call-petrol-station-strike-over-may-bank-holiday-weekend Most non-EU drivers who move to Spain need to resit their driving test in order to be able to get behind the wheel here. But is there an option to do the practical exam with an automatic vehicle in a country where most cars are manual? https://www.thelocal.es/20240916/can-you-do-your-driving-test-in-spain-with-an-automatic-car Mon, 16 Sep 2024 15:50:11 +0200 can-you-do-your-driving-test-in-spain-with-an-automatic-car War in the Middle East has caused energy market volatility around the globe, forcing governments in Europe to intervene and keep fuel costs down for consumers. https://www.thelocal.es/20260328/what-are-european-countries-doing-to-keep-fuel-costs-down Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:13:15 +0100 what-are-european-countries-doing-to-keep-fuel-costs-down Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced Friday a sweeping package worth €5 billion ($5.8 billion) aimed at cushioning the economic impact of the Middle East war, including a "drastic reduction" in energy-related taxes. https://www.thelocal.es/20260320/rent-fuel-and-bills-spain-to-spend-e5-billion-to-ease-middle-east-war-fallout Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:32:36 +0100 rent-fuel-and-bills-spain-to-spend-e5-billion-to-ease-middle-east-war-fallout Several Spanish political parties have rejected a proposal to lower the drink-driving limit in Spain, with the ruling Socialists accusing the PP and Vox of "bowing to the beer and wine lobbies". https://www.thelocal.es/20260319/spain-rejects-proposal-to-lower-drink-driving-limit Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:42:33 +0100 spain-rejects-proposal-to-lower-drink-driving-limit Fuel prices at Spanish pumps have risen sharply since the start of the Middle East war, with diesel climbing more than 20 percent, government data showed Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20260310/spains-fuel-prices-surge-following-war-in-middle-east Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:19:41 +0100 spains-fuel-prices-surge-following-war-in-middle-east With events in the Middle East causing queues at Spanish petrol stations due to the threat of prices rising sharply, many drivers in Spain are now looking for cheaper fuel to fill up their tanks. https://www.thelocal.es/20260305/how-to-find-where-to-get-the-cheapest-fuel-in-spain Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:14:43 +0100 how-to-find-where-to-get-the-cheapest-fuel-in-spain The European Commission has questioned whether Spain’s new and mandatory V-16 emergency lights breach EU law, another blow for the controversial device which 28 million drivers have been told to buy for around €50 each. https://www.thelocal.es/20260225/eu-questions-legality-of-spains-new-v-16-emergency-lights-for-drivers Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:58:06 +0100 eu-questions-legality-of-spains-new-v-16-emergency-lights-for-drivers Valencia now has a specialist e-scooter police unit which will monitor other e-scooter users in Spain's third city. https://www.thelocal.es/20260226/police-begin-patrols-on-electric-scooters-in-spains-valencia Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:28:25 +0100 police-begin-patrols-on-electric-scooters-in-spains-valencia If you're worried because you don't know how many points you've had taken off your licence, there are three easy ways to check. Here's how. https://www.thelocal.es/20251120/how-to-check-how-many-points-you-have-left-on-your-driving-licence-in-spain Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:26:44 +0100 how-to-check-how-many-points-you-have-left-on-your-driving-licence-in-spain Think the potholes are particularly bad in your part of Spain? A new study has revealed the regions with the most damaged roads in the country. https://www.thelocal.es/20260219/where-are-roads-in-the-worst-condition-in-spain Thu, 19 Feb 2026 11:49:49 +0100 where-are-roads-in-the-worst-condition-in-spain It's now mandatory to have insurance for your e-scooter and in order to get this, you'll need to officially register your vehicle. Here's how to do it. https://www.thelocal.es/20260218/how-to-complete-the-mandatory-registration-of-your-e-scooter-in-spain Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:45:35 +0100 how-to-complete-the-mandatory-registration-of-your-e-scooter-in-spain Has your city recently introduced a low-emission zone or ZBE? Here's what you need to know as a driver, including how to get an environmental label for your car. https://www.thelocal.es/20260210/my-city-in-spain-just-got-a-low-emission-zone-what-do-i-have-to-do Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:12:56 +0100 my-city-in-spain-just-got-a-low-emission-zone-what-do-i-have-to-do As a growing number of cities in Spain roll out low-emission zones, it's emerged that the drivers of foreign-registered vehicles are not receiving the €200 fines for entering these areas without authorisation. https://www.thelocal.es/20260126/spain-unable-to-fine-foreign-registered-vehicles-entering-low-emission-zones Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:54:03 +0100 spain-unable-to-fine-foreign-registered-vehicles-entering-low-emission-zones If you’re buying a second-hand vehicle in Spain from a private seller, there’s a big chance you’ll have to do the hard bargaining and scrutinising in Spanish, so here are nine questions to help you with the process. https://www.thelocal.es/20241022/9-questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-second-hand-car-in-spain Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:18:51 +0200 9-questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-second-hand-car-in-spain Cities across Spain have slowly been introducing Low Emission Zones over the last few years, but not all places have them fully implemented yet. Here's a list of the Spanish cities and towns which have to have new ZBEs in 2026. https://www.thelocal.es/20251128/listed-the-cities-in-spain-with-new-low-emission-zones-in-2026 Fri, 28 Nov 2025 16:23:38 +0100 listed-the-cities-in-spain-with-new-low-emission-zones-in-2026 It may still seem like summer in some parts of Spain, but the season is slowly changing with more rain, storms and falling temperatures, so it may be time to start thinking about changing your tyres. https://www.thelocal.es/20251027/what-you-need-to-know-about-using-winter-tyres-in-spain Mon, 27 Oct 2025 12:55:24 +0100 what-you-need-to-know-about-using-winter-tyres-in-spain Spain's Interior Minister has confirmed that drivers who haven't bought the new V-16 emergency light (compulsory since January 1st) will be given a grace period before being fined, but authorities are still being rather vague about when the deadline really is. https://www.thelocal.es/20260109/spain-wont-fine-drivers-without-v-16-light-for-reasonable-amount-of-time Fri, 09 Jan 2026 11:47:42 +0100 spain-wont-fine-drivers-without-v-16-light-for-reasonable-amount-of-time Spain's Transport Ministry has hiked fees on certain toll roads around Spain to start 2026. Here's what you need to know. https://www.thelocal.es/20260102/which-motorways-in-spain-will-have-higher-tolls-in-2026 Fri, 02 Jan 2026 13:05:35 +0100 which-motorways-in-spain-will-have-higher-tolls-in-2026 From January 1st 2026, all drivers in Spain should carry a V-16 emergency light in their cars. Even though they're mandatory from that date, Spanish traffic authorities have confirmed that no fines will be issued early in the new year. https://www.thelocal.es/20251204/spain-to-give-drivers-grace-period-for-mandatory-v-16-emergency-lights Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:04:16 +0100 spain-to-give-drivers-grace-period-for-mandatory-v-16-emergency-lights