La Jonquera, a common transit point for thousands of trucks daily, has recently experienced an unusual phenomenon of traffic collapse. These congestions, previously limited to holiday periods, are now caused by long queues of trailers seeking to refuel at gas stations offering special discounts.
The primary affected areas include the Andamur in the Vilella industrial estate and the Galp station near the Firefighters and Mossos roundabout. The root cause of these delays is the conflict in the Middle East, which led to a surge in fuel prices, prompting some service stations to launch promotions to attract hauliers.
“"We have detected that, following the war in Iran, as fuel prices rose sharply, the gas stations here offered special deals. And that's what led to more trucks, more influx, more concentration... or call it what you will."
This situation has compelled the La Jonquera City Council to coordinate with the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Local Police to implement daily traffic regulations. These measures include preventing full turns at roundabouts or restricting access to certain industrial areas to ease congestion. Although the situation has calmed with falling fuel prices, Mayor Míriam Lanero emphasizes that La Jonquera bears the brunt of international crises without receiving a proportional share of the taxes collected by the State.
The problem has not been confined to La Jonquera. Residents of Llers and Figueres have also been affected, as exit 3 of the AP-7 (Figueres Nord) has experienced similar blockages due to truck queues at nearby gas stations. Marius Vergés, the Mayor of Llers, has expressed regret over the situation, noting that despite the presence of the Mossos, chaos often overwhelms the area.
