Business leaders call for third lane on A-7 motorway to ease traffic congestion between Malaga and the Axarquía

As their main short-term measure, business organisations have proposed a study into a reversible third lane on the most congested sections of the A-7 motorway. This would allow an additional lane to be opened in the direction of heaviest traffic – towards Malaga in the early hours of the day and towards the Axarquía in the afternoon.

The proposal would rely on variable message signs, road markings and dynamic traffic control, making use of the existing infrastructure. The CEM considers this measure a priority due to the speed with which it can be implemented, its minimal impact on the local area and its compatibility with other subsequent measures.

Furthermore, business leaders point out that this emergency measure must be complemented by improvements to the busiest junctions and access roads along the eastern corridor, specifically in the areas around Malaga Este, El Palo, La Cala del Moral and Rincón de la Victoria.

In the medium and long term, the CEM is committed to a rail link and improvements to public transport. The organisations have emphasised that the reversible lane is neither a standalone nor a definitive solution, but rather the first phase of a broader strategy.

The employers’ organisation pointed out that the east coast still lacks a rail link, a shortcoming that limits alternatives to private cars and hinders the development of a sustainable transport system. It is also calling for improvements to inter-city public transport, optimising both service frequencies and coordination between local authorities.

The CEM has emphasised in a public statement that the region has 220,000 inhabitants. “The demographic, residential and economic growth of the Axarquía has not been accompanied by a corresponding improvement in its transport infrastructure. The A-7 remains the only high-capacity road connecting it to the city,” said the CEM’s president, Javier González de Lara.

“The lack of alternatives leads to immediate delays whenever an incident occurs, increasing costs and journey times for thousands of citizens who travel daily for work, education, healthcare or business reasons, while also affecting freight transport in strategic sectors such as tourism, agriculture and the agri-food industry,” he said.

“We are facing a problem that is shaping the present and future of an area that is strategic for Malaga. Transport is not just a business issue: it affects thousands of workers, students and families every day,” he added.

Salas reported that various projects are to be looked at with a view to their inclusion in the general state budget. He said that the Ministry of Transport is currently carrying out studies to improve connections between the city and the Axarquía, as well as for the coastal railway line. “We are going to push for these projects to be included in the general state budget. We call on the other political parties to support the approval of this budget as it will be beneficial for the province,” he said.

He also called on the Andalusian regional government to improve intercity bus services. “The contracts have not been updated for twenty or thirty years,” he argued and asked for the metro to be extended to Rincón de la Victoria.