Traffic cuts return to Navacerrada and Cotos when the parking lots are full

Going up the mountain on a weekend in Madrid, a city of 3.5 million in a region of nearly 7 million, is a near-impossible task. You have to get up very early to ensure that once you arrive at the summit, there is still room in the parking lots. Or do it by public transport, the other option.

The Government Delegation of Madrid announced that the system for regulating and managing traffic going up the Madrid passes is now operational again during weekends. The device was developed by the General Directorate of Traffic and the Civil Guard, and follows the same line that was applied last year, and which caused more than one problem, with vehicles stuck on the climbs towards the mountains because they were unaware of the restrictions or Even knowing them, they risked going up in case they found a place to park.

This year, the same mechanics as last year will be repeated. As soon as the Navacerrada, Cotos and Valdesquí car parks are completed, the M-601 and M-604 roads will be closed. From now on, only emergency vehicles, residents and accredited workers in the sector, as well as public or collective transport will be able to circulate.

For this reason, the Government Delegation recommends using public transport, either through the lines available to the Madrid Regional Transport Consortium (a direct line between Madrid and Valdesquí) in addition to the Special Services between the towns of Los Molinos and Cercedilla and Valdesquí, which can be implemented by different administrations, either through public transport, taxis and VTC.

For drivers going to La Granja or Segovia, they can do so via the N-6 or AP-6.

Parking occupancy will be reported on variable message signs on the roads, as well as on social networks and in radio news bulletins. The measure aims, explained the Government Delegation, to “safely facilitate the mobility of all users within the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park”.

Concretely, when the Cotos and Valdesquí car parks are full, the M-604 road will be cut at kilometer 32 (after Rascafría) and access to these car parks will be prohibited by the CL-604 at kilometer 48.

On the other hand, when the Navacerrada car parks are full, access to them will be prevented, forcing vehicles that have accessed the M-601 at kilometer 20 (roundabout) to return to Madrid from this point or to continue on the CL-601 towards. San Ildefonso and Segovia. The M-601 highway will only be closed at Fonda Real (kilometer point 12), in case of extreme necessity due to traffic jams or an emergency situation.

In addition, blind parking of vehicles on the shoulders and adjacent areas of the M-601 roads will not be allowed in the section from Fuente de los Geologists to Siete Revueltas and on the CL-604 from Alto de Navacerrada to the parking zone B. through the installation of pedestrian fences and plastic tapes demarcating the road and exclusive traffic zones.

Emergency and residents

From 3 p.m., provided that the parking lots located in Navacerrada are completely saturated, the CL-604 highway will be cut at kilometer 48, returning to Madrid via the M-604 highway, informing of this recommended route for users stationed in Navacerrada. Cotos and Valdesquí.

In the aforementioned road closure situations, only emergency vehicles, residents and workers in the area duly accredited as such, as well as public and/or collective transport will be able to access it, with no possibility of parking.

Traffic cuts in the climbs to the mountains have been a cause of friction between the central and regional governments: the former is responsible and decides how to do it; The Ministry of the Environment, however, is banking on another procedure that seems more appropriate, a prior reservation system in the Cotos car park, which would guarantee where to leave the vehicle, as is done in other national parks.