Costa Tropical town reduces vehicle access in effort keep old town alive

The latest project has been to install signposts and arrows that have turned Calle Ladera de la Cruz into a one-way street, restricting traffic in the area.

The council wants to make life in the old town easier for its residents and put a stop to the exodus of people selling up and moving. Other measures have already been taken, including extending the bus service to weekends during the summer and installing signage to discourage visitors from driving into the town.

Before the pandemic, a special plan for the protection of historic centres was drawn up and a commission was set up which, in agreement with residents, shopkeepers and the opposition, took measures to gradually reduce traffic and introducing improvements without affecting tourism.

Traffic has been a big problem in Salobreña for many years. There is limited parking and its narrow streets mean that driving through the town is not easy. In addition, the old town is protected by the regional government as an important site of Andalusian Historical Heritage and the castle walls are an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC).

This means that any house renovations are prohibited and this has led to many residents trying to sell their properties. The council wants to modify the planning law so that renovations are not impossible and that the old town is not completely abandoned. The revision of the town’s general urban plan (PGOU), although not a pressing issue for the council, is also underway.