Soltalk March 2019 | Page 20

Hotel restyling Málaga’s metro to change direction The regional government has announced changes to plans for expanding Málaga’s metro system. The present construction work on an extension with a terminal at the Hospital Civil is to be abandoned in favour of a connection to the Campanillas district and the Andalucía Technology Park (PTA). However, the concession holder, Metro de Málaga, has expressed concerns about the profitability of such a line. The owners of the Marinas de Nerja Hotel have announced a major “restyling” of the building from November. The Catalan group Ona Hotels considers their Nerja property as one of the most emblematic on the Costa del Sol and says the upgrade will “adapt it to the standards of the chain.” The hotel has 216 bedrooms, two outdoor pools. large gardens with direct beach access, a main restaurant, bar, gym, spa centre, hair salon and shop. Pedestrianising Plaza Councillors in Vélez-Málaga were last month expected to approve the project to pedestrianise Plaza de las Carmelitas which has a budget of €800,000. Mayor Antonio Moreno Ferrer said the town centre area would become “a model of a modern and sustainable city designed for people,” and would revive the local economy. He added the work would be carried out so as not to clash with traditional Easter events. Motor homes The presence of dozens of motor homes in areas of Nerja is causing a headache for the town. Local businesses claim that their owners contribute little to the local economy, while barriers, limiting the size of vehicles accessing a large parking area on El Playazo beach, have disappeared. The town hall says local police are monitoring the situation and telling those parked illegally to move on. Torre theatre Councillors in Vélez-Málaga have approved the new site for Torre del Mar’s future theatre. It will be built in the Cerro del Águila area, near the covered swimming pool, with a budget of €5.5 – that’s some €4 million less than the original plan. The first site chosen was finally discarded because of potential flooding problems. Details of the changes came from the new president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, on his first official visit to the city last month following regional elections in December. That vote ousted the socialists from control in the region after almost 37 years, leaving the Partido Popular now controlling both Andalucía and the city of Málaga. The bidding process approved for the extension by the previous socialist administration has thus been suspended, terminating a controversial phase of the metro’s development. This would have seen trains running on the surface for much of its length, a prospect which was opposed by Málaga’s city council. However, Sr Moreno added that the line to the Hospital Civil would not remain suspended forever. He explained that the project was being halted for two main reasons: the “strong” rejection of the existing plans by local people, and the better use of limited resources to provide, “functional and operational progress and welfare.” However, Metro de Málaga, the present concession holder, has told the regional government that a line to the PTA would not be profitable. It says the 6.5 kilometre extension would cost around €80 million to construct, would require extra tram units and would carry an estimated two million passengers a year. It adds that the vast majority of travel would be at peak times, leaving trams empty at other times including weekends and throughout August. Last year, Lines 1 and 2 of Málaga’s metro which opened in July 2014 carried over 6.3 million passengers, an increase of 9.75 per cent on the 2017. Commenting on past clashes between the differing politics of the region and the city of Málaga, Juanma Moreno talked of now being able to resolve projects which had been, “paralysed for years,” including those for a third city hospital and the integration proposals for the Guadalmedina river. El Trapiche inundated Damage estimated at over €100,000 was caused last month when a water pipe fractured and flooded the village of El Trapiche. Between 8,000 and 10,000 cubic metres of water poured into the area in just 30 minutes after it spilled from the 1.2 metre pipe which carries supplies from the Viñuela reservoir to a nearby water treatment plant. The problem started at about 10.15pm on February 4 when water began inundating a 400 metre stretch of the road, prompting residents to evacuate, and forcing the closure of the A-7205 road at kilometre 11. Water up to 1.5 metres deep gathered in c/ Poeta García Valverde flooding the lower floors of more than 60 homes and a dozen vehicles. One 90-year-old woman remained trapped in her house until she was rescued by the emergency services and taken to hospital. No other injuries 18 were reported. Work continued through the night to repair the break and steps were taken to ensure supplies to 14 municipalities served by the fractured pipe. Reasons for the incident are unclear, although one suggestion is that an earthwork nearby make have contributed. The pipeline is owned by the Andalucían Agency for the Environment and Water which is reported to be liable for repairing damage. The mayor of Velez-Malaga, Antonio Moreno Ferrer, said that technicians have estimated damage in the seven worst-affected homes at €100,000 while other damages were still being assessed. There was also a call for emergency transport to be made available to those who lost vehicles or were isolated by the flood.