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The A-7, which connects Malaga to Estepona is flooded. It’s a fact. Persistent jams and accident blackspots – What can be done?
Costa del Sol is facing a daily challenge of chronic traffic congestion and frequent accidents. In peak season, the number of vehicles on the road can range from 65,000 up to 100,000. This is due to population growth, tourism boom, and outdated infrastructure.
Traffic jams that were once seasonal are now daily and double commute times. It’s a nightmare to drive, thanks to design flaws including sharp curves, hidden exits, and too few lane. You have no choice but pedal hard when merging on the road. The A-7 ranks as Spain’s third-worst motorway for users, with heavy traffic around Puerto Banús, San Pedro, and Rincón de la Victoria.
A-7 Costa del Sol – one long accident blackspot
Persistent safety hazards
There are a couple of particularly nasty blackspots the DGT have highlighted: San Pedro Alcántara (km 1053–1050) and Fuengirola (km 1015–1013). Over a period of seven years, 36 serious accidents were recorded at the notorious La Cala de Mijas curve. Other recent fender benders include a six-vehicle pile-up near Vélez-Malaga in 2024 and a five-vehicle collision in Marbella in 2025, causing hours-long closures. Although speed limits of 80 km/h or average speed radars have had a marginal impact on incidents, they are not sufficient.
What is the reason that the AP-7 cannot be used for free as in other parts?
Conundrum AP-7: The toll road
The AP-7 toll motorway offers some relief but costing €18.85 for a full journey in high season, or €8.60 Fuengirola to Marbella, drivers are deterred, which pushes traffic back to the old A-7. A private concession agreement between the Spanish government and Ausol that is valid until 2054 has prevented the AP-7 from becoming free like other areas of the country. The Costa del Sol section is still expensive for drivers compared to other AP-7 sections, such as Alicante-Tarragona (freed in 2020). This is because the government must compensate Ausol for the lost revenue. However, the state also benefits from €384 million per year in tax revenue from the AP-7. Local leaders say that there is political bias at play, and that the complexity of the negotiations with Ausol prevents solutions like subsidies or public purchases. There are some proposals for discounts on AP-9 subsidies in Galicia, but they lack political commitment.
A-7 Costa del Sol – What can be done?
Future fixes and government action
A Ministry of Transport study launched in July 2025 at a cost of €690,000, Plans to explore solutions over the next 12 months, focusing on connectivity, flow, and safety, also coincides with the coastal train feasibility study (by, coincidentally, the same company). Among the proposed measures are:
- Expanding A-7’s capacity by adding lanes or straightening sections.
- By-pass routes can be created to divert traffic.
- Improving A-7/AP-7 or reducing tolls.
- Upgrade junctions to eliminate bottlenecks
A €6 million A-7 rehabilitation project between Marbella and Fuengirola, completed in March 2024, has been deemed ridiculously insufficient by users, and calls for free AP-7 access during peak times or a coastal train line, (which has already been bogged down by bureaucracy for 20 years), remain unanswered.
Look Ahead
The A-7’s troubles are the result of Costa del Sol’s rapid growth in the last few years. The government’s report offers some hope, but a more radical change in policy is needed to find a solution. ViaMichelin and DGT updates can be used by drivers to monitor the situation. However, real solutions are needed, including road improvements, public transportation, and better traffic management.
