On the one hand, there is no doubt that the Burriana beach area is a nightmare for parking during the summer months, but is an underground car park the right way to go?
As Nerja (Verano Azul underground car park), Torrox, Frigiliana, Vélez-Málaga and countless others have found, these facilities do not tend to be economically viable. The initial costs – almost €3 million (at the moment) for the proposed Burriana car park – plus staff, maintenance etc usually means that the daily rate/subscription has to be quite high and, as many municipalities have discovered, the public, either resident or visiting, is not willing to pay these prices.
There are more and more people stating on various forums that they will either not bother to bring a car to the town in future or will even remove the town from their itinerary due to parking issues.
The Verano Azul underground car park has recently gone ‘private’ after the Council admitted that it was not a financially viable proposition, the Frigiliana car park was a total disaster and closed.
OK, so the construction of an underground car park will result in numerous licence revenues for the Councils, probably one of the main reasons for actually building one, but will it solve the parking problem? Will it just end up as another expensive, under-utilised facility as seems to invariably happen?
In Nerja, people are tending to use the open area on the proposed Health Centre site (free), even though it might be further to walk, or just riding round and round until they find a space on the street. There are even those who just give up and go to Torrox instead.
The Los Huertos de Carabeo car park used to be full, but since it became paid and an economic rate is charged, 10% occupancy is probably about the best it gets.
So what are the alternatives? How about a simple solution. A plot of municipal land, nicely tidied up to look presentable, maybe a charge of €1 or €2 per day, take on a couple of registered unemployed to monitor the car park.
Advantages: Low cost (Municipal land), saves €3 million for starters, provides employment (minimal but better than nothing) and might actually attract tourists rather than repel them. More visitors, more revenue for local businesses.
Disadvantages: No municipal licence fees.
Carolanne says:
It defies logic that there is no bus service to Burriana, especially as the steep hills offering access are daunting to pedestrians – especially in the heat of summer – and, sadly, often impossible to contemplate walking for the aged, the very young or the infirm. A circulating ‘hopper’ bus would be a boon, keep many cars off the road and out of parking spaces and would generate revenue for an operating body…whether private or municipal. AND, so much more economical that a ‘white elephant’car park. But the when did logic ever enter into the arcane processes of planning committees? These buses really offer a great service. The system operates in Bath when a non-stop bus travels from the city to the university and back on a constant ‘loop’.