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More than 30 Guardia Urbana candidates at risk due to traffic exam backlog
Barcelona is facing a situation that could directly affect future additions to the Guardia Urbana. More than 30 applicants, who have already passed physical tests and interviews, could be excluded for not being able to present the A2 motorcycle licence on time, which is now required earlier than usual.
The change comes from an amendment to the City Council's call for applications, which brings this requirement forward to the documentation stage. Until now, applicants could obtain the licence later, even during their training. The new deadline reduces the margin and leaves many out for reasons unrelated to their preparation.
The problem is compounded by the backlog at the Directorate-General for Traffic. In Catalonia, more than 85,000 people are waiting to take their test, with the majority concentrated in Barcelona. The shortage of examiners has overwhelmed the system and slowed down the entire process.
Driving schools are noticing it. Some have had to curb their activity because they cannot put students forward for the test. This turns a compulsory procedure into a bottleneck that affects not only candidates for public posts, but thousands of people who need a driving licence to work.
Applicants are asking for a specific solution: make the deadlines more flexible and allow the licence to be submitted before taking up the post, as happened before. They fear that a structural problem will end up deciding their future after years of preparation.
What is at stake goes beyond a single call for applications. Barcelona risks losing candidates who are already qualified because of an administrative backlog. In a context where strengthening public services is key, this kind of blockage is beginning to have a direct impact on how the city functions.