The government team of the Mijas Town Hall presented last Wednesday 31st in the ordinary plenary session of July the update of the Municipal Ordinance on Traffic and Circulation. According to the councillor for Local Police, Juan Carlos Cuevas Dawson (Vox), the new document includes issues regarding mobility in Mijas, both for now and for the future, as well as the regulated use of roads and parking spaces in the municipality.

Dawson stressed that the text responds to the new needs of the population “guaranteeing the safe mobility of pedestrians, their coexistence with motor vehicles, also promoting alternative means of transport, such as collective transport, bicycles or similar”. He also pointed out that “until now we had a completely obsolete ordinance that did not reflect the changes introduced by the 2015 law on traffic, circulation of motor vehicles and road safety”.

In this regard, the spokesman for Cs, José Carlos Martín, agreed on the need to update this ordinance although he did not see the need to include a section on regulated parking, the so-called blue zone, as this system has not yet been implemented in the municipality, “however, in the text we see that there are several articles that perfectly define the charging and rates of the blue zone, but it is not clarified whether there is any intention to implement it, so we prefer to abstain”.

In response, Cuevas Dawson explained that “this government does not intend to start charging for blue zones, but we have regulated it and we have given it structure in the ordinance, taking advantage of the fact that we are going to change it”. Likewise, the mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), defended that “although we do not contemplate the blue zone, it is true that many entrepreneurs have requested the implementation of this system in busy areas, so that circulation flows smoother and so that vehicles are not parked all day in a commercial area”.

For his part, the socialist councillor Josele González recalled that the municipality of Mijas began working on this new ordinance in 2021, when he was mayor. He also highlighted two relevant issues about it. First, the incorporation of a section on electric scooters “and their use on public roads exclusively for those over 15 years old, an aspect that other municipalities have subsequently taken as a reference. Secondly, motorhomes, because this ordinance states that they can park on public roads, not camp”.

The item was initially approved with the votes of the government team and the PSOE, and the abstention of Cs. In the final part of the presentation of the proposal, Cuevas Dawson took the opportunity to indicate that “ everything we have done now will be digitalised to help our police officers in their daily work, because it is striking that in the 21st century and in the digital era, officers still fill out the sanctions by hand, for example”.

Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMV)

These are devices with one or more wheels and a single seat that are powered exclusively by electric motors and can reach a speed between 6 and 25km/h. Its use is prohibited on pavements, promenades and areas intended for pedestrian use.

The minimum age to use them is 15 years of age and they must comply with traffic and road safety regulations. They may only be used by one person and the use of earphones and mobile phones is not permitted. Drivers have the same restrictions on drug and alcohol consumption.

In areas where they share space with pedestrians, they must alight  from PMVs swhenever it is not possible to maintain a mandatory safety distance of at least one metre or when it is not possible to ride in a straight line for five metres continuously. They do not take precedence over pedestrians. The circulation of these vehicles is prohibited on interurban roads, crossings and urban tunnels. Rental VMPs and parking areas are also regulated.

Bicicles

Bicycles must ride on the cycle lane and, if there is no cycle lane, on the carriageway and in the right-hand lane.

Just like VMPs, they must respect traffic rules, not use mobile devices or headphones.

Bicycles with trailers or semi-trailers carrying children are not allowed to circulate on the road; they must do so on cycle paths. They are not allowed on lanes reserved for public transport and may carry a child up to 7 years of age in an additional approved seat, as long as the driver is of legal age.

Motorhomes

The ordinance regulates the areas where they can park The ordinance regulates the areas where they can park and defines the characteristics and services that the exclusive parking areas must have, in case they are enabled, in such a way that their occupation in these areas cannot exceed 72 continuous hours during a period of 10 days in order to guarantee the rotation in these car parks.

Drivers of caravans, motorhomes, camper vans or similar vehicles may stop and park on urban roads under the same conditions and with the same limitations as any other vehicle, as long as there are no open windows that could invade a space larger than the perimeter of the vehicle in motion, chairs, tables, extended awnings or other belongings. The municipal regulations state that it is not relevant that the occupants remain inside the vehicle as long as the activity does not extend to the outside.

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