E-scooter riders in Spain now need a helmet, insurance and a spot on the official register, yet nobody checks whether they can actually ride their vehicle properly or handle the traffic on the road. A Málaga surgeon who operates on riders after the worst crashes thinks that gap needs closing.

A surgeon wants riders tested like other road users 

Rafael López Arévalo, head of orthopaedic surgery and traumatology at Hospital Quirónsalud Málaga, believes e-scooter riders should have to pass a test comparable to the ones other road users face before they head out among cars, buses and vans.

His case is built on what he’s seeing in theatre. He estimates that 30 to 40 per cent of the e-scooter accident patients his team treats end up needing surgery, with some of the more complex fractures potentially affecting their ability to work further down the line.

That’s an estimate for the patients who reach his team, though, and not a figure for every scooter crash in Málaga. Earlier University of Málaga research found bruising was by far the most common injury among scooter patients seen in emergency departments. 

Riders are sharing the road with cars

Since January 2021, e-scooters have been banned from pavements across Spain and capped at 25km/h, which moved riders off the pavement and onto the road alongside motor traffic. López Arévalo’s argument is about whether riders really understand what that involves. Plenty of people hop on with the attitude of ‘it’s only a scooter, how hard can it be?’, and a test is designed to challenge exactly that assumption. 

For parents whose teenagers ride to school, commuters weaving through the city and residents stepping off the kerb as a scooter comes the other way, it’s a question that comes up every single day.

What the university research did and didn’t find 

The University of Málaga (UMA) study behind EWN’s August coverage analysed more than 400 patients treated in emergency departments between 2018 and 2022, and it also looked at what changed once scooters moved onto the road.

Pedestrians being knocked down fell from 10.9 per cent of cases to 5.2 per cent, while collisions with motor vehicles rose from 8.8 per cent to 18 per cent. However, the researchers said in their January release that they hadn’t seen any increase in the overall severity of injuries, despite those extra collisions.

So the research doesn’t show that moving riders onto the road made injuries worse. The surgeon’s estimate is a separate observation, based on the patients his own team is treating now.

Helmets are compulsory, but there’s still no test 

Since Thursday October 1, riders across Spain have had to wear a certified helmet, with fines of around €200 for those who don’t. The scooter itself must also be registered with the DGT (Spain’s traffic authority) and insured. However, there’s still no test or licence needed to ride one. 

Until that changes, riders’ best protection is the helmet and the 25km/h limit they’re already bound by. UMA’s researchers go a step further and recommend full-face helmets, as so many of the fractures they recorded were to the face and jaw.

La Cala Lions have swapped their familiar blue shirts for show-stopping costumes in a hilarious new 2027 calendar that recreates some of the best-loved musicals of stage and screen.

Titled ‘La Cala’nder Girls!, the calendar features members of the Mijas-area charity club posing as characters from famous productions including Sister Act, The Sound of Music and Mamma Mia!. The big question is whether you can work out which Lion is which!

Known for their tireless fundraising for local good causes and for bringing British expats and Spanish residents together, the Lions have come up with a fun way to raise money while giving supporters something to smile about throughout the coming year.

A Christmas present with a difference

With Christmas approaching, the calendar could be the perfect stocking filler or present for anyone who knows the Lions and their work in the local community.

Production of the calendar has been supported by sponsors Bobby Jones and Spikes, Ibex Insurance, Bar Tuta, Legends Bar and Bridges Bar, whose backing is celebrated through this light-hearted project.

La Cala Lions president for 2026/27, Sandie Tavendale, paid tribute to the people who helped make the calendar possible, particularly John Sharples and Lynne Armitage, whose time and commitment were essential to the project.

She also thanked the club’s volunteers, whose work keeps its charity shops and fundraising activities running successfully, as well as the sponsors who continue to support its efforts.

Where to get your 2027 calendar

The ‘La Cala’nder Girls! 2027 calendar is available from the La Cala Lions Charity Shop in La Cala de Mijas and wherever members of the Lions are out and about, for just €10.

Whether you are a regular supporter, a local resident or simply looking for an amusing Christmas gift, the calendar offers a chance to enjoy some musical theatre nostalgia while supporting the club’s charitable work.

And with a different showbiz-inspired picture to enjoy as the months pass, what better way to start 2027?

Dancing for Dementia

Don’t forget that on October 22 there is Strictly Olivia’s, Dancing for Dementia, fundraising event for the Lions Alzheimers Group. There will be dinner, dancing & entertainment, for a fantastic fundraiser.

Latin American & Ballroom Dancing display with the sensational Alberto Andrada, professional dancer with his enigmatic and glamorous students Jaks and Renate. Join in with Alberto on the Dance floor later and learn some sexy dance moves!

Tickets cost just €60 (€10 of which goes directly to the charity). Call +34 952 494 935 to reserve, or WhatsApp +34 608 784 367. 7 o’clock sharp start.

A lorry carrying mortar grenades and other explosives from the Fábrica de Municiones de Granada lost part of its load in the middle of a public main road on Tuesday afternoon, forcing a full road closure and the evacuation of nearby homes, according to local press.

Residents in the El Fargue area of Granada woke up to a tense scene after the vehicle, travelling between two sites belonging to the same company, suffered an internal load shift, indicating that the load might not have been well tied down. According to local reports, the movement was so strong it ripped open the side of the truck and scattered rounds of mortar shells across the carriageway. Guardia Civil officers ordered people living within a 100-metre radius to leave their properties while specialists worked to make the area safe.

📢⚫️Especial precaución en Granada por el corte de la A-4002 en el entorno de El Fargue.

⚠️Eviten circular por la zona y sigan las indicaciones de los servicios de emergencia. https://t.co/DQ6y8OZI26

— Dir. Gral. Tráfico (@DGTes) October 13, 2026

Bomb disposal teams and emergency crews on the scene

TEDAX explosive ordnance disposal experts (bomb disposal), Guardia Civil, National Police, local police and firefighters all responded quickly. Andalucia’s emergency service activated the pre-emergency phase of the plan for accidents involving dangerous goods, a standard step when munitions or explosives are involved on public roads. No injuries were reported, and officials later said the rapid arrival of the bomb squad meant there was never any real danger to the public.

Police later suggested the incident was probably caused by the load not being properly secured. The company itself confirmed it had been a short internal transfer between its own facilities rather than a long-distance export run, and said it had opened its own investigation. Traffic on the A-4002 was restored later the same afternoon once the rounds had been cleared.

Why this factory is important for Spain’s defence industry

The plant in El Fargue is one of Europe’s oldest continuous ammunition producers, with roots going back centuries. Since 2020 it has been owned by Slovak firm MSM Group, part of the larger Czech Czechoslovak Group (CSG). Demand for large-calibre shells, propellants and mortar rounds has risen sharply because of the war in Ukraine and wider European rearmament, and the factory has expanded its workforce and output to meet contracts. You can read more background on the Fábrica de Municiones de Granada.

Much of what leaves the site ends up with European and NATO customers. Some of the group’s production is also linked, either directly or through the parent company, to supplies that support Ukraine. Spain’s overall military support to Ukraine has included both government donations (such as Leopard tanks and air-defence equipment) and commercial sales of ammunition. Estimates put cumulative Spanish military aid in the region of several billion euros since 2022, with ammunition forming a large share of the commercial side. Euro Weekly News has previously covered Spain’s Leopard tank deliveries and a €615 million military aid package. Earlier reporting also noted Ukrainian criticism that some early Spanish shipments were only enough for two hours of fighting, while other flights carried large-calibre ammunition. Commercial ammunition exports, including from plants like this one, have been substantial — one analysis tracked around 140,000 155 mm shells in a relatively short period.

Rules for moving this kind of cargo

Transporting explosives and ammunition in Spain is tightly controlled under national explosives regulations and the international ADR rules for dangerous goods. Vehicles must meet specific safety standards, specialised “vigilantes de explosivos” security staff are normally required, and journeys need official authorisation, emergency plans and reliable communications with the Guardia Civil. Depending on the quantity and route, an official police escort can also be ordered.

Local moves between a company’s own sites can sometimes operate under lighter escort conditions than long-haul export shipments, but the basic safety rules still apply.

Tuesday’s spill has raised fresh questions among local residents about how such loads are handled on ordinary roads close to homes. The factory has grown into an important industrial site for Granada province, driving a noticeable rise in arms-related exports in recent years. At the same time, any accident involving live munitions on a public highway is bound to draw attention, especially when the material is of a type that has been in high demand for the conflict in Ukraine.

Authorities have not released a detailed public statement beyond the basic facts of the road closure and the activation of the emergency plan. The company’s investigation into the load shift is ongoing. For now, the road is open again and no one was hurt, but the incident has put a spotlight on the practical realities of moving military-grade ammunition through residential areas in southern Spain.

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