The number of passengers using the Vélez-Málaga tram system, the first in Andalucia, continues to decline, a phenomenon which began after the first year of operation in 2007.
In 2007, the number of passengers using the tram was 922,135, short of the budgeted figure needed to make the system a viable financial proposition. Since then, the budget figure has constantly increased but the actual number of passengers has declined.
In 2011, the budgeted number of passengers was 1,214,494 while the actual number so far this year is 629,280 and this means the Council is accumulating massive debts.