The government will apply reductions on tolls on the Costa del Sol, which are the most expensive in Spain. However, don’t lead the waywhich has always been requested to speed up congestion on the A-7. This is the provisional measure presented in Malaga this Thursday during the working meeting. This will be the case until we have the Malaga-Algeciras train, for which the Ministry of Transport has commissioned a feasibility study. Another document to add to the long history of studies that this infrastructure has had for decades, but this time with the impact that it would have between Nerja and Algeciras. Until now, such an extent of territory had not been envisaged.
In the working group meetings This Thursday in Malaga, representatives of the Ministry of Transport, the Junta de Andalucía, the Provincial Delegation and different town halls of the Costa del Sol participated, as well as a representative of the Port Authority of Bahía de Algeciras and of the Fadeco organization to the proposal. of the Junta of Andalusia.
Thus, the Ministry of Transport proposed improve toll premiums of the AP-7 motorway between Málaga and Guadiaro. For this, five reduction alternatives were presented to regular users. These oscillate between 10% and 50%based on the transits that users make along the highway. He did not give dates for entry into force.
In addition, the regularity bonus policy that already exists on the AP-7 highway between Málaga and Guadiaro was presented and it was agreed to give it more publicity. Tourism from Monday to Friday pays an average 389 euros monthlywhich would remain at 194 euros. Subscribers already pay 248 euros at the table and with the biggest discount they would pay 124 euros.
That’s not counting the high season, when tolls cost 8.60 euros in Calahonda, 5.80 euros in San Pedro and an additional 3.75 euros in Estepona. Without adding the 6 euros from La Pedrizas every time there is a party or a long weekend or it is the summer season. This is why The request was always to release 100% to decongest an A-7 with almost constant traffic jams, but instead comes a reduction proposal, similar to the one that already exists and which does not solve the problem. “They seem insufficient to us,” declared Francisco Salado, president of the Provincial Deputation of Malaga.
“The maximum bonus offered to regular drivers is a 30% discount, while there are other places that have enjoyed a 100% discount or in environments close to 85-90%. The government has admitted that the highway lacks permeability and more access to collect more traffic and decongest the A-7, but They did not bring any proposals nor did they commit to anything,” Salado added.
train study
And this measure, which does not satisfy local administrations, is temporary until the construction of the coastal train. Within the Transport working group, it was announced that it would carry out a feasibility study of the rail corridor. For this, it will provide 1.2 million euros to write in 12 months.
The rail corridor feasibility study will include long-term actions aimed at improving mobility throughout the Costa del Sol, based on both the ppromotion of the current Málaga – Fuengirola linethe most profitable of Cercanías in Spain, as well as in the proposals for possible extensions or enlargements thereof.
The scope of the feasibility study will include, on the one hand, the western Costa del Sol, structured in turn into four sections. From Málaga to Fuengirola, from there to Marbella, another to Estepona and the fourth to Algeciras. On the other hand, the extension to Nerja will be studied.
The feasibility study will include the corresponding analysis of alternatives, demand studies and cost-benefit analysis from a socio-economic point of view to advance the most suitable train model for the Costa del Sol. This feasibility study is a mandatory requirement that the railway sector law imposes because the previous studies do not include an environmental impact study and are no longer valid.
