Prices keep on changing at the car park in Los Huertos de Carabeo, the largest parking area in Nerja with 1,000 places, although not so popular since the introduction of charges.
The area was free parking for over ten years as the owners of the land waited, and waited for a change to the PGOU (General Plan) so they could build houses on the plot.
The new PGOU never arrived, and is still not ready after years of deliberation, so the land owners decided it was time to make some money from the land and suddenly introduced paid parking.
Local residents were understandably not very happy with this change but were to some degree placated when the Mayor negotiated, coincidentally two days before the municipal elections, a special rate of €7 per month for residents registered on the local census (padrón).
However, this reduced rate didn’t last very long, strangely, and a huge price hike was planned for one and all.
Now, there is yet another new set of rates applicable since the feria. The cheapest rate for local residents is now €22 per month or €50 for 90 days. However, this is only available for those residents registered on the census and who live in one of the following streets: calles Balcón de Europa, Puerta del Mar, Gloria, San José, Arropieros, Trancos, Parras, Almirante Ferrandis, Pintada, Carretas, Huertos, Carabeo, Prolongación Hernando de Carabeo, Frigiliana, plaza del Olvido, Prolongación de Andalucía and Rodríguez Acosta.
Residents outside this zone will have to pay €30 per month or €75 for 90 days.
Other visitors will have to pay the normal rate of €1.80 per hour on weekdays with a maximum of €15.60 per day on weekdays and €18 at weekends.
It is hardly surprising that a car park which was invariably almost full in the past is now rarely more than 10% utilised, if that.