Costa del Sol
Mijas demands urgent repairs to 17 A-7 footbridges over safety fears
Rusting railings and falling concrete have prompted the council to renew its appeal to Spain’s Transport Ministry, claiming it has been unable to carry out repairs itself.
Mijas Council has demanded urgent repairs to all 17 pedestrian footbridges crossing the A-7 motorway within the municipality, warning that deteriorating railings, corroded fixings and falling concrete could endanger pedestrians and passing traffic.
The council renewed its request to Spain’s Ministry of Transport on Wednesday, October 7, following complaints about the condition of the structures, including several inspected by local councillors in La Cala de Mijas.
Infrastructure councillor Juan Jose Torres said the bridges showed signs of prolonged neglect, with rusted metal railings, peeling paintwork and sections of concrete breaking away. Debris falling from the structures could pose a danger to vehicles travelling along the busy coastal motorway, he warned.
Council says it cannot carry out repairs
Mijas Council cannot legally carry out repair works on the bridges as they fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport in Spain as they form part of the A7 motorway structure, which is legally property of the state.
Torres said the council had repeatedly contacted the Ministry of Transport to request repairs but had received no response. A further formal request covering all 17 bridges was due to be sent on October 7.
The councillor also claimed the local authority risked state sanctions if it attempted to carry out repairs without the necessary authorisation.
This leaves the council calling for urgent action while claiming it cannot independently address the deterioration affecting the crossings.
Beach access among the concerns
The condition of the footbridges is also a concern for residents and visitors who use them to cross the A-7 and reach coastal areas. Playas councillor Daniel Gomez said years of insufficient maintenance had left some sections of railing so badly corroded that replacing entire sections could be necessary, rather than simply patching up the damage.
The bridges provide important links between residential areas, local facilities and the coast, making their condition a practical safety issue for people living in and visiting Mijas Costa.
Will the bridges be repaired?
The council’s latest demand follows previous calls for improvements to pedestrian bridges along this stretch of the A-7. However, it has not announced a repair timetable agreed with the Ministry. The allegations of deterioration have not been accompanied by a publicly available independent engineering assessment establishing whether any of the 17 bridges have structural weaknesses affecting their overall stability.
Residents will now be looking for a response from the Ministry and details of when inspections and repairs might take place.
For the time being, Mijas Council is insisting that the state authority responsible for the structures must act to address the reported defects and ensure the crossings can be used safely.
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Residents in Elviria and Las Chapas are facing longer journeys and concerns over road safety after a key A-7 motorway exit serving Golden Beach was closed before its replacement access was ready.
The closure, which took place in the week beginning September 21, has triggered criticism of Marbella Council, the central government and the arrangements surrounding a new luxury housing development.
Why was the Elviria motorway exit closed?
The affected access, identified as junction 1034, serves the southern part of Elviria, including Golden Beach. Acciona Inmobiliaria, the developer behind the BLU residential project at Estrella del Mar, carried out the closure after receiving authorisation from Spain’s road authority.
The development is planned to contain 58 luxury apartments and 88 townhouses. The approved plans include changes to the local road network and an alternative route using the exit near the Don Carlos hotel.
Authorities have argued that the old junction presented a safety risk because drivers had to stop before joining the busy A-7, leaving little room to accelerate into traffic.
Residents desperate due to longer journeys and jams
The timing of the closure has become a major source of anger. Local property professional Michael Moon also reported that some residents were experiencing journeys of 15 to 20 minutes for trips that had previously been short, as drivers tried unfamiliar routes through surrounding streets.
The disruption could also affect customers travelling to nearby shops, restaurants and beach businesses, although individual businesses’ financial losses have not been established.
Council accused of knowing about the closure
Marbella Council initially complained that it had not been given adequate warning and called for the access to remain open until alternative routes were ready.
On September 30, the council confirmed that it had written to the central government’s road authority requesting the temporary reopening of the links. It warned that poor signage and unexpected manoeuvres were creating additional safety concerns.
However, a political dispute has since intensified. Local reporting published on October 7 said Mayor Ángeles Muñoz had granted Acciona a local works licence in July 2025 covering the closure. A further local licence for improvements to the alternative route was issued in August 2026.
The PSOE opposition has accused the mayor of presenting herself as unaware of a project the council had authorised. The council’s initial position was that the closure had happened without adequate advance notice to residents.
Will access to Golden Beach improve?
The wider El Rosario-Elviria area has long needed better connections, with plans for service roads intended to improve access to the A-7. For residents, the immediate question is whether the alternative route will be completed and properly signposted, and whether local streets can cope with the diverted traffic.
The closure also raises a wider question for Marbella as development continues along the coast: should existing road connections be removed before replacement routes are ready for the people who depend on them every day?
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