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STOP PRESS 10.07.24 Update 2:
Marbella and Estepona’s Mayors, respectively, Angeles Munoz and Jose Maria Garcia Urbano, have turned up the heat on the Madrid central government’s refusal to sanction plans to develop a commuter train connection between Malaga and the Western Costa del Sol. The Mayors argue that the two towns, cited as being in second and fourth place of the towns with the fasted growing populations in Spain, are lagging behind in terms of infrastructure.
The more pressure that can be brought to bear on the controlling national and regional powers in Madrid and Seville, the better. Given the current road chaos, as full summer hits, such plans – and their realization – are really needed sooner rather than later.
Please see here an excellent article from Sur in English
Stop Press 28.06.24 Update: The Mayors of Malaga, Marbella and Estepona have given a a brave commitment to remove the AP-7 tolls “within a year” and approve the extension of the train service from Malaga along the coast. There is some suggestion that the train could be forced to go underground.
The Marbella Mayor, Angeles Munoz, has been quoted as saying “We have infrastructure below our needs, but it has been proven that when trains have been introduced they have worked. We have the N340 at the point of collapse and the AP-7 toll road, which is the most expensive in Spain. It is our weakness. I am convinced that we will see this train line built. I want you to know that we will see it. There is a need and it is real”.
While the Estepona Mayor, Jose Maria Garcia Urbano commented “We have to keep the flame alive. We have to reach half a million signatures, via SUR (www.surinenglish.com ), and reach a legislative outcome.”
Let’s see whether they can engage with those that control the pursestrings, particularly at a European level, in order to realize these projects.
Stop Press 23.03.24:
1. No further news to report on the discussions, understood to be ongoing, in relation to the idea of rebating the tolls for a period to ease congestion on the roads running through Marbella.
2. What we are able to report, according to the Sur in English, an excellent local newspaper, in a written response by the central government’s ministry responsible to a request, from Malaga’s Partido Popular (PP) representatives in the Spanish parliament, for details of the current plans to extend the C1 railway beyond Fuengirola. The reply was simply unhelpfully terse. It has prompted some understandable outrage. It reads “The project of the new railway access to Marbella and Estepona has been the subject of several studies over time that have shown its great complexity from a territorial, functional and economic point of view.”
This has prompted, Jose Ramon Carmona of the PP in Malaga, to describe the response as shameful as he felt it telegraphed the central government’s complete lack of interest in the Costa del Sol’s infrastructure.
Considering the history of the Costa del Sol where progress has invariably been lead by Argentinians, British, Germans and Swedes maybe the time is right to consider a public/private partnership initiative to champion this development before the can is kicked further down the road by disinterested Madrid politicians.
Let’s hope the traffic doesn’t disturb their arrival and enjoyment of their holiday property for their month long holiday in August!!
Shameful is the right word but we are not powerless. Thoughts?
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Yes, I know, its hard to fathom but believe it or not there are a couple of drawbacks, as with anywhere that’s experienced incredible success, to living here in the Marbella region on the Costa del Sol. One of the key issues is vehicle traffic.
It’s ‘getting the kids to school’, ‘getting to the office’ and ‘making that pressing appointment’ traffic. It’s the very normal everyday ‘getting to work’ traffic its not grid lock but worsens with a seasonal influx. It’s tends to be bad at key points during the day – pre 10.00 – when most businesses open – and at around 13.30 – many like to return home for a 14.00 lunch.
The main road, once called “N340” that runs from Barcelona to Cadiz, is now known as the “E-5” or “A-7”. It is rejoined by the “AP-7” (also called the “E15”) toll road that runs from La Junguera (on the French border) to Algeciras, just to the east of Marbella by the La Canada shopping centre. It then divides just before the Nagueles tunnel before the E-5/A-7 continues past Puerto Jose Banus and runs through to San Pedro de Alcantara (SPA) and into the comparatively recently completed tunnel passing directly under SPA.
It’s here entering and leaving the location of Puerto Banus where the traffic slows to a crawl and even sometimes stops. The problem is dramatically exacerbated should there be a break-down or an accident and then backs up for some distance.
The tunnel under SPA, from planning to construction, took nearly twenty years to complete. The supply road that runs past Laude School in SPA, towards the beach, it and the tunnel were intended to alleviate much of the traffic black spot passing Puerto Banus. It is not now as bad as it was pre-tunnel but there are days in the Summer, particularly, when an alternative route would be excellent.
Of course, there is an alternative route. The AP-7 toll road travels parallel to the E-5/A-7 about three kilometers inland. In a moment of bureaucratic mis-management it is currently known as the most expensive toll road in Spain.
Those who have travelled from Malaga Airport to Marbella or from Sotogrande towards Malaga Airport will attest to its ease of traveling at a reasonable speed but will wince at the cost. Typically in Low Season Malaga to SPA will costs €6.95 and in High Season – when its more or less essential – the same journey will cost you €11.35. If I am going to Malaga Airport, in the Summer, using the AP-7 will get me there in precisely 45 minutes. Using the E-5 to get there may well take between fifteen to thirty minutes longer, depending on traffic. A more protracted delay may result in you being tight on time for your flight.
Spain’s splendid motorway network, invariably build over the last thirty years with substantial European grant money, is all part of the infrastructure jigsaw that makes getting round this amazing country so easy. Does anyone recall Jeremy Clarkson ranting at a Spanish toll booth operator, on an episode of “Top Gear”, before his ignominy, attempting not to pay on the basis he’d already paid? Alluding, no doubt, to the UK’s then contributions to the European purse.
As we enjoy the Semana Blanca (“White Week”) half-term holiday, heading towards the Semana Santa (Holy Week/Easter) and closely followed by Summertime season, our thoughts turn to the traffic that will descend on the Coast.
There has been much press talk about pressure being put on the Seville and Madrid governments to commit to extending the C1 Cercanias (Commuter Line) train from Fuengirola (the line already exists between Malaga/Malaga Airport and Fuengirola) to Marbella, SPA and Estepona. No announcements have yet been finally made to commit the funding to see this into reality but several alternatives have also been mooted – see here – A tram line from Malaga to Marbella
A glimmer of sense in politics was detected last week when an axis of unlikely political interests, including the Partido Popular (on the centre right) and Izquierda Unida (a leftist coalition), together to pressure from the provincial leader of Malaga and the Mayors of some twenty plus municipalities to the west of Malaga including Casares, Estepona, Marbella and Mijas, called on Madrid for a temporary suspension of AP-7 tolls pending the outcome of plans to build the railway.
Marbella’s Mayor, Angeles Munoz, was particularly vocal, emphasizing that the growth of the Costa del Sol would be hampered by continuing to apply AP-7 tolls thereby restricting the free flow of traffic around Marbella.
This is not merely a tourism initiative. It has been argued that regular working folk are finding it difficult and expensive to get to their place of work if they are compelled to use the tolls. A suspension would put more funds back in local pockets in an era of rising prices.
Early signs are that given the breadth of criticism aimed at the central government’s position, progress may well be made to allow traffic that would prefer to use the AP-7 – but toll free – to use the faster route thereby freeing up the coast road. We will keep you informed as this story evolves!
Should you be interested in discussing the process involved in buying a property in the Marbella region, we would be delighted to assist you. Please contact me to discuss your precise requirements.
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