Gecko Towers
STOP PRESS: 18.12.24 This piece first appeared in June and as I suggested it was useful to watch this space. Please see the following piece by Ignacio Lillo for Sur in English, that records that Spain’s transport minister, Óscar Puente, has promised to make Costa del Sol train happen, in the light the opposition’s criticism of “railway chaos”. Let’s see but this is a vitally important initiative for the local infrastructure. https://www.surinenglish.com/malaga/oscar-puente-this-government-will-make-the-20241212083726-nt.html
The summer is here with fabulous sunny days, thanks to the Weather Gods and Saint Desalination (newly Beatified), cooling pools and balmy nights. The one blight that has visited us for a number of years is the gradual build up of traffic on the main coastal road running from Malaga to San Roque – through Marbella and San Pedro de Alcántara.
As the visitors arrive from Madrid and Seville, particularly those who have a hand in deciding the future of the local transport infrastructure, I can only hope that their holiday is interrupted by the frustration experienced by those of us who continue to work during the summer months.
The San Pedro de Alcantara tunnel, completed a number of years ago after extensive planning and traffic management surveys, as a tunnel, is fit for purpose. The clog that results from the back up of traffic joining in the direction of Puerto Banus after emerging from the Ronda roundabout is sometimes approaching a Marbella Arch style jam. It’s not biblical and often, rear-end shunts aside, clears quickly, but it is deeply irritating and contributes little to the otherwise smooth flow of local traffic.
Admittedly for those used to central London, Paris or Milan, it’s a breeze and simply a hiccup, but I think we all agree that it’s avoidable.
Ignored, according to the petitions of local Mayors, to open and allow free or reduced cost passage on the AP-7 toll road during the summer, the Powers That Be, seem impervious to the needs of my local community. Yes, we have received more Police Officers – which is excellent – to quell inebriated revellers but strategies to ease the congestion appear to be all too low on the “to do” list.
So I guess we all suffer including those from out of town who choose to call Marbella and the Western Costa del Sol, “Home”, for the months of July and August.
Another suggested strategy to the seasonal traffic congestion has included the development of a train service from Malaga’s Costa del Sol Airport to Estepona and, possibly beyond. It seems – and well done our local Mayors – that there may be some loosening in the wax of the ears of the National Government.
Press reports – Sur in English – late last week, suggest that many local municipal leaders had a productive session in Malaga with the Spanish Transport Secretary, Jose Antonio Santano. It has been agreed by Sr. Santano and Snra. Rocio Diaz, the Minister of Public Works of Andalucia’s government, to carry out a feasibility before the end of 2024, as to a tram-line to Marbella and beyond, possibly down to Algeciras. Commitment was given to forming a working group to “define the train model”.
Also noted by Snra Diaz, was that she has received a commitment to consider the possible reduction of the AP-7 toll as a short term measure. The Transport Secretary noted, by contrast, that as the AP-7 tolls were operated as a concession. As a result, consideration needed to be given to the terms of the concession agreement in order to identify whether discounts could be offered to workers and students, for example. Now that is some progress!
Watch this space….
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