Local
Boulders put in place after beachgoers ignore no parking signs near protected dunes
-
Marbella town hall has resorted to installing a physical barrier after drivers continued to park in the protected area near Cabopino beach
It may seem primitive, but Marbella town hall this Tuesday moved to install large boulders in order to prevent cars from entering a restricted-access area close to the protected Artola dunes at Cabopino, to the east of the resort.
With greater numbers flocking to the beach area during the summer season, the available parking spaces have quickly filled to capacity and drivers have ignored no parking signs and left their cars in areas reserved only for authorised vehicles.
The ProDunas association, dedicated to the protection of the dunes, has filed three separate complaints to the environmental branch of the Guardia Civil (Seprona) and to Marbella town hall. On Monday they argued that rather than improving, the situation around the dunes had been getting much worse.
A statement said:“They have put up temporary barriers and fences but they are completely insufficient. What we need here is something much more substantial and to start fining those who are knowingly breaking the law.”
Following this, the town hall, through its Sustainability department, commissioned diggers to move in large boulders, placing them around the perimeter of the restricted area.
While this measure is certainly more substantial, whether it becomes permanent is dependent on its degree of success.
Police have stepped up surveillance in the area in recent months and have stopped drivers from parking on both the roundabout at the access to Cabopino from the motorway and on the approach road to the car park.
Other parking spaces have also been made available by the town hall at various points along the coast at Las Chapas, but drivers have instead repeatedly chosen to break the rules rather than walk the extra distance (of around 300 metres) to the beach.
