As trusted providers of Málaga Airport transfers to Estepona, Duquesa, Benahavís, and other key locations around southern Spain here at Simply Shuttles, we are well aware of the importance of our customers having the utmost confidence in the safety of their journey.
On that front, it intrigued us to discover recently that a motorway on the Costa del Sol has become the first road of its kind to achieve compliance with demanding new safety standards set by the European Union (EU).
A landmark development that spells good news for Spanish road users
The motorway in question is the AP-7, which has been subject to more than €30 million of investment to adapt it to the regulations. The Autopista del Sol incorporates no fewer than 10 tunnels along its 105-kilometre route, running between Málaga, Marbella, Estepona, and Guadiaro – so, a formidable scale of work has been required.
All those tunnels now comply with the tightened safety regulations for the continental road network, following four years of work that commenced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the news outlet SUR in English recently reported, the project also just happens to have involved the largest financial outlay made by the Autopista del Sol management firm, Ausol, since the motorway was constructed.
But what does this mean for your own safety as a prospective visitor to the Costa del Sol?
The safety requirements in question were established by Royal Decree 635/2006 and European Directive (2004/54/CE).
One key change for the motorway’s tunnels has been the deployment of a new fire-resistant electrical installation to ensure that critical systems operate if a fire breaks out in the tunnel. Strengthening work has also been carried out on the installation of ventilation systems to improve conditions in the tunnel; such systems are designed to be activated if a high concentration of polluting gases or fire occurs.
The work has entailed, too, the installation of a greater number of sensors to measure any concentrations of polluting gases such as CO2 and NO, as well as opacity and air speed, inside and outside the tunnel. This allows for ventilation strategies to be optimised, specific to a given tunnel.
The improvements hardly stop there. Enhancements have also been undertaken, for example, to linear heat detection systems for the identification of fires. Furthermore, a public address system has been put in place, so that if an incident occurs, relevant messages can be broadcast to road users.
We could go on and on, but you probably get the idea; a sizeable portion of the southern Spanish motorway system just got a lot safer.
It is just one more of the many reasons why you can have the greatest peace of mind when you turn to Simply Shuttles for excellent-value Málaga Airport transfers to Estepona, Ronda, San Pedro, and other key locations. Please feel free to use our website to book your private hire transfer today, and don’t forget that you can also call +34 951 279 117 for further information and advice.
