Business owners in Ronda fear planned 'orange' parking zone will drive shoppers away

The planned 'orange' parking zone that Ronda council intends to implement in the popular Malaga province mountain town in 2026 continues to generate considerable debate. The latest reaction has come from the business sector, specifically from Apymer- the association of small- and medium-sized enterprises for the Ronda and Guadalteba areas, which has expressed its deep concern about an initiative that, it warns, "could have very negative economic consequences for Ronda's commercial fabric".

This stance was made public following a meeting held between representatives of the association and Ronda town hall. The business owners made clear the serious reservations that the sector has regarding this measure, which they regard as "understandable from the perspective of urban mobility", but potentially detrimental to local economic activity.

Apymer expressed its concern in a statement regarding this draft by-law that sets the 'regulated vehicle parking fee' within the town. According to Apymer, Ronda council "has no intention of modifying fundamental aspects of the regulation, despite the potential impact it could have on local businesses".

It's worth remembering that this 'orange' zone measure, presented by civic leaders when the full council met in November, will be implemented on more than 20 streets in the centre of Ronda. The plan stipulates that residents can park for free, while visitors will have to pay one euro per hour, with a maximum stay of three hours, using parking meters.

Likewise, the councillor responsible for traffic matters in Ronda, Jorge Fernández, explained to SUR that this measure has been designed to facilitate parking for Ronda residents and also "to increase turnover and, therefore, boost trade, as in all Spanish cities and towns where this zone exists", he stressed. As such, Fernández noted that he finds it strange that Apymer is asking for a blue zone instead of the orange one, because the latter "seems better for Ronda residents, for those living in the town centre, as it's free for them".

Apymer also conducted a survey among its members to gauge their opinion on this measure. The results, described by the association as "worrying", show that 70% of business owners believe the by-law will deter customers from surrounding towns and villages from coming to Ronda to shop. Furthermore, 53.4% believe that the impact of the orange zone will be negative for their own businesses.

The local business association points out that this concern is not unfounded, as Ronda's businesses depend heavily on consumers from neighbouring municipalities. "We are talking about discriminating against precisely those who contribute most to boosting our trade," Apymer stressed. "Customers from the surrounding area are essential for the survival of many businesses in the town centre. Charging them for parking while Ronda residents pay nothing could lead to them seeking alternatives in Marbella, Malaga, Jerez or Fuengirola, where there is more choice and easier parking."

During the meeting, the association presented several proposals to the council to minimise the impact of the measure, including implementing pilot schemes in specific areas, replacing orange zones with high-turnover blue zones, establishing reduced rates and limiting the maximum parking time to 90 minutes (as opposed to the 180 minutes stipulated in the draft by-law).

According to Apymer, none of these proposals were favourably received by the council, which has stated its intention to approve the by-law as originally drafted. However, the town council has committed to reviewing its impact six months after its implementation, with the aim of introducing possible modifications if necessary.

The association warns that "instead of penalising, we should be more flexible, making it easier for even more people to come to Ronda and shop comfortably on a daily basis." In their opinion, the orange zone "could become a parking system with no real turnover, where customers from the surrounding area choose to park further away from the town centre or, even worse, head to other towns".

Apymer points out that a significant portion of its members trade in the town centre and many of them belong to the retail sector. "These are the businesses that will be directly harmed by a measure approved without specific impact studies and without considering the alternatives proposed by those with first-hand knowledge of the reality for the sector", the association concluded.