The Junta of Andalusia and the City Council of Antequera have requested the central Government to exempt or subsidise the toll on the AP-46 while the works on the A-45 are ongoing, which are causing daily delays.
The delays caused by the A-45 works have reopened the debate on the toll of the AP-46, known as the Las Pedrizas motorway. The Junta of Andalusia and the City Council of Antequera have asked the central Government to take measures to alleviate traffic on the motorway, which currently operates with a single lane in each direction around Casabermeja.
The Minister of Development and Mobility, Mario Muñoz-Atanet, conveyed the request during the Sectoral Transport Conference held this Tuesday. In the absence of Minister Óscar Puente, the proposal was presented to the Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, José Antonio Santano. Muñoz-Atanet argued for the need to utilise the AP-46 as an alternative route to distribute traffic and reduce pressure on the motorway.
“The works are causing delays both entering and exiting the capital,” the minister stated. In his view, a temporary subsidy would allow some vehicles to be diverted to a motorway that maintains a significantly lower traffic intensity. The request is also supported by mayors from the area, who have expressed their concerns to the Junta about the consequences of the traffic jams.
The impacts affect workers, transporters, students, and users who travel daily between Antequera, the inland municipalities, and Málaga. The coincidence with the high tourist season and the increase in trips to the capital and the Costa del Sol exacerbates, according to the City Council, the inconveniences caused.
The mayor of Antequera, Manolo Barón, has gone further and sent a letter to Óscar Puente to directly request the temporary exemption of the AP-46 toll. His proposal involves lifting the toll while the traffic restrictions resulting from the A-45 works continue. Barón acknowledges the need to intervene on the motorway to ensure its safety and maintenance but believes that these works should be accompanied by extraordinary solutions.
If the Ministry rules out complete exemption, the City Council proposes reaching an agreement with the concessionaire to apply a substantial reduction. Among the options proposed is to establish a symbolic fee of one euro to encourage drivers to use the motorway. This measure would allow, according to the Antequera City Council, to decongest the A-45, reduce travel times, and limit emissions generated by the queues.
“There is no warning, no prior notice, and no alternatives are offered,” lamented Barón, who criticised the information provided before the start of the restrictions. The mayor also recalled that there are precedents where the Government has authorised the provisional exemption of motorways during works or serious incidents on parallel roads.
Alongside the impact on mobility, Antequera warns of the risks posed by long delays. The accumulation of vehicles and frequent braking can lead to accidents, while the AP-46 remains fully operational and with less traffic. The Las Pedrizas motorway, which is tolled, connects Málaga with the interior of the province and is a direct alternative to the A-45.
The works on the A-45, which affect the stretch between Casabermeja and the link with the A-92, will continue over the coming weeks, according to sources from the Ministry of Transport. Meanwhile, drivers travelling between Málaga and Antequera must face delays that exceed 30 minutes during peak hours.
The demand to exempt the toll on the AP-46 is not new. In recent years, various groups and city councils have requested its permanent exemption, especially after accidents or closures on the A-45. However, the Ministry has always cited the cost of the concession, which ends in 2051.
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