Wave goodbye to Plaza Mayor traffic jams with new road access and park and ride facilities

Chronic daily traffic congestion leading to the Plaza Mayor shopping centre is about to become a thing of the past, following confirmation of major infrastructure improvements funded by the centre’s owners.

A project to duplicate the access lane from the MA-20 Ronda Oeste (western ring road) in the direction of Malaga has been published in the Boletín Oficial de la Provincia de Malaga (BOP). The plan, presented and financed by Plaza Mayor as part of its long-awaited expansion plans, involves widening the slip road with an additional two lanes well in advance of the junction. It will mirror improvements already made on the southern side and is meant to minimise the frequent bottlenecks that plague the area between kilometre points 1+500 and 3+600.

Just awaiting local approval

The proposal entered the public information phase this week, with a 20-working-day window for submissions of allegations in contra starting from January 21. Once approved, the works will provide a twin-lane configuration on the northern side, easing flow for vehicles heading towards the popular shopping and outlet complex.

Planned upgrades form part of broader efforts to address mobility concerns that have stalled Plaza Mayor’s expansion for over four years. The project is designed to add 14,000 square metres to the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet towards the east and 7,500 square metres to the existing Plaza Mayor Shopping towards the west, using part of the adjacent parking area near the Guadalmar motorway.

Local residents in the Guadalmar area have voiced strong opposition in previous consultations, arguing that further commercial growth would worsen traffic chaos. Malaga Council’s Mobility Department has also withheld support for the expansion without additional remedial measures.

Plaza Mayor owners fed up of waiting – paying for upgrades alone

In response, Plaza Mayor‘s owners have committed a large amount of resources, including a 2021 agreement with the Ayuntamiento. Main proposals include fully funding a new park-and-ride facility with space for 1,100 vehicles. This dissuasive car park would encourage drivers to leave their cars there and use the nearby Cercanias train line to reach central Málaga, helping avoid Low Emissions Zone fines in the city centre.

These combined measures, road widening, alternative access, and park-and-ride incentives, represent a massive push to resolve the traffic issues that have long hindered both daily commutes and the commercial site’s growth ambitions.