Marbella's new 'blue zone' system will offer real-time availability information to motorists

You drive into the centre of Marbella to go to work or run some errands. You have left with just enough time in hand, but when you are close to your destination you have to start looking around for a space to park in a blue zone. Time is running out and you haven't found anything available, so you have no choice: you end up paying more and parking in an underground or mult-storey car park. You've wasted more than ten minutes driving around and in the end you're late.

Residents and visitors of Marbella will be spared this nuisance with the start of the new management contract for the regulated parking zones.

Municipal spokesperson Félix Romero described this initiative as moving away from the "analogue model with digital support" to a "digital system with analogue support". The new model involves the implementation of a mobile application that will provide real-time information on the degree of occupation of each of the restricted parking zones, which the new bylaw divides into: red, orange, green and blue. In a situation like the one described above, the resident would not have to waste time (and fuel) and could park directly in the underground car park or look for another nearby restricted parking zone with the certainty that there are spaces available.

In addition, the technical feasibility of making this information available online without the need for a mobile application will be studied. The new contract is currently in the drafting phase and the bylaw is yet to be approved. This will probably be done initially at this month's council meeting.

The bylaw involves the implementation of a typology of four restriction zones (red, orange, green and blue) and a new resident card model with parking benefits in the form of discounts and more parking time in the green zone when you are within your district (with the town divided into Marbella, Nueva Andalucía-Puerto Banús, San Pedro Alcántara and Las Chapas).

The new red zone will correspond to high turnover areas (tax office, social security, tax office, police station, etc.). Parking will be limited to 30 minutes, with no possibility to park again in the following 60 minutes.

The orange zone includes parking spaces in municipal lots, public car parks or temporary spaces for events. Non-residents may park for a maximum of 24 hours.

The green zones are roads that form the perimeter of commercial facilities or residential areas with few underground parking facilities, such as areas near beaches or neighbourhoods. No limit for district residents and four hours for non-residents.

The blue zone corresponds to areas with a strong commercial, tourist or cultural attraction. Parking will be limited for everyone (residents and non-residents) to two hours and 30 minutes.