Malaga Announces Bike Lane Will Close for Summer

MALAGA has announced it will close one of the city’s bike lanes for the summer.

The city council said the Malaga bike lane would be closed for the summer.

According to Spanish newspaper Sur, Malaga City Council will close the bike lane for the summer, after lack of use.

The lane on Pablo Ruiz Picasso promenade will no longer be closed to traffic at the weekends after the council found few cyclists and scooters were using the road.

A planned alternative bike lane will also not be complete in time for summer, according to reports, prompting criticism from cyclists complaining they will now have to share the road with cars.

Councillor for Mobility, Jose del Rio said: “Knowing that usage statistics are very low, I don’t want to continue to affect other drivers.”

He added that when “the season arrives and the traffic begins to grow, it will be very difficult to maintain it.”

He said: “A temporary lane has not been ruled out.”

The news comes after the Mayor of Malaga confirmed a cycle lane will be built following protests from cyclists.

The Minister of Development announced that the project is already being drafted, with an estimated budget of € 2.6 million.

The cycle lane on the Pablo Ruiz Picasso promenade will be around 2,050 meters long.

The Mayor of Malaga said the plans would see the promenade on Paseo de Picasso widened to allow room for pedestrians as well.

He said: “The idea is that, in the east, in addition to the road, we can have a bike lane… on the south sidewalk, separate and provisional until the Junta makes a finished one.”

The works will be put out to tender once the Department for Mobility announces how they will separate the lanes to avoid obstacles for pedestrians.