ROADS
The Government has opted to cut speeds on this stretch of the A-7 after plans to eliminate dangerous slip roads were abandoned
17.07.11 - 17:24 -
A vehicle passes one of the new 80 signs on the A-7. Josele-Lanza
Some drivers have been taken by surprise and others haven’t even noticed that they ought to be hitting their brakes on the A-7 between Marbella and Fuengirola. Just after workers all over Spain had removed the 110 stickers to reveal the return of the 120 kph speed limit, on stretches of the A-7 on the Costa del Sol they have been adding stickers so that the signs now show 80.
Along the 41 kilometres of road between Estepona and Mijas Costa the speed limit until last week alternated between 80 kph on some stretches and 100 kph on others. Now the Government has opted to reduce the limit to 80 along the entire route. Now drivers wanting to put their foot down without facing a fine (and there are two fixed speed radar in Mijas Costa) will have no option but to use the AP-7 toll road, which is bound to benefit from the change.
The measure, which is permanent, came into force with no prior warning, and follows instructions direct from the Ministry of Development, which controls stretches considered as accident black spots.
The decision had been made “for reasons of road safety due to the accident rate on this stretch” argued the provincial head of the Traffic Department, Trinidad Hernández, on Monday. More specifically the problem derives from the residential areas close to the road and the short slip roads coming from them.
The problem is by no means new. Four years ago the Ministry of Development announced that it was working on a scheme to eliminate the dangerous slip roads in Marbella, Mijas, Estepona and Manilva. Some 54 million euros were to be invested but the scheme never materialised. Now, instead of these improvement works that residents and drivers had been calling for for years, the government has decided to cut speeds.
The head of the Traffic Department denied that the measure had been put in place in order to raise funds from fines. She added that in the case of roads considered as accident black spots the ministry had the power to impose changes without prior warning to the Traffic Department.
Criticism
Both Marbella and Mijas Town Halls have criticised the measure. Mayor of Marbella Ángeles Muñoz accused the Ministry of “a lack of rigour and improvisation” and wonders why the central government is arguing reasons of road safety after so many years.
The mayor of Mijas, Ángel Nozal, announced that the Town Hall has written to the minister to demand that the old speed limit be restored. He pointed out that the speed limit was already at 80 on the dangerous stretches, such as the bends through La Cala de Mijas and that in his opinion the measure was clearly aimed at raising funds from speeding fines.
