Estepona is tackling potholes, but central government has not yet repaired the dangerous A-7.

Estepona Council launched an urgent repair plan Potholes Sinkholes and other damage caused by heavy rains in the area.

Intense and repeated storms in the last few weeks have caused more than 20 spots to be severely damaged, creating traffic chaos and posing hazards for drivers. Local police and council technicians have already carried out on-site checks and produced a map showing the priority areas.

According to the Council, the plan will center on immediate interventions In particular, the following locations are affected: Avenida del Litoral and Puerta del Mar are among the most affected areas. Huerta Nueva and the roundabouts leading to the industrial estate and town, Avenida del Carmen and other streets scattered around the centre of the city and its surrounding areas. In addition to the emergency repairs, the sixth Municipal Asphalt Plan will target the streets in the outer zones as soon as the weather improves and allows for proper execution.

The central government lacks the budget and time to repair dangerous A-7 potholes

The council has continued to call on the central government to undertake a thorough and urgent upgrade of the A-7, which passes through Estepona. The rain has exacerbated the significant pavement damage that persists on this major route, which poses a safety risk to thousands of users every day.

In response to requests from Estepona’s mayor, José María García Urbano, including a formal letter sent in January, the Ministry of Transport, led by Óscar Puente, has stated that no project, planning, or dedicated budget currently exists for a full structural rehabilitation of the A-7, possibly the worst-affected roadway in the area, in the sections through Estepona, Casares, and Manilva. The ministry indicated that only routine maintenance and conservation work can be carried out in the interim, while the drafting of a comprehensive project (estimated at €8.7 million for that phase alone) remains underway, with implementation dependent on future planning and funding availability.

Local authorities have warned that the A-7 is in a bad condition and argue that temporary patches do not suffice and drivers are forced to perform dangerous manoeuvres. Potholes Both directions have ruts. The council insists on a final, integrated solution for this Costa del Sol vital artery.

The responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of the A-7 motorway, as a state-owned road within Spain’s Red de Carreteras del Estado (State Road Network), lies exclusively with the central Government through the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Sustainable Urban Development (Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible) and its Dirección General de Carreteras.

Have you shunned your responsibility?

Spain Ley 37/2015, de CarreterasThe ministry is responsible for planning, construction, preservation, exploitation and the overall management of the state roads. This includes routine road maintenance, pavement rehabilitation and ensuring safety conditions for all users. The Ministry is responsible for addressing road safety hazards such as potholes, sinkholes and structural degradation. Despite ongoing local demands, including the January letter from Estepona’s mayor José María García Urbano highlighting over 300 affected spots and the aggravated risks following recent storms, the Ministry has confirmed that no dedicated budget or immediate project exists for a comprehensive structural overhaul in the Estepona-Casares-Manilva sections, limiting interventions to routine conservation work while a broader rehabilitation project remains in the planning and drafting stages.

Local authorities say that the Ministry is not fulfilling its legal duty of maintaining the infrastructure, given the high volume of traffic on the A-7 and the importance it plays as an important artery along the Costa del Sol.