When Shovit Was a Make of Car: Costa del Sol Traffic Then vs Now

A Different Kind of First Car

When people ask me what my first make of car was in Spain, they expect me to say Seat, Fiat, Ford or Renault.

But it was none of these—it was a Shovit. Because that is what we spent most of our time doing: shoving it here and shoving it there. And somehow, it didn’t matter.

Thirty-odd years ago, nobody cared what you drove. More importantly, there simply weren’t that many cars. The roads along the Costa del Sol—through Fuengirola, Marbella, San Pedro and beyond—actually worked. You could set off, drive, and arrive.

Simple.

Today, your car starts first time, every time. But the journey? That’s another story. The Numbers Behind the Nostalgia This isn’t just sentiment—it’s backed by hard data.

At the end of the 1990s, Andalucía already had a growing vehicle base, but it was still manageable. In 1999, official statistics show: • Total vehicles in Andalucía: 3,495,432 • Total vehicles in Málaga province: 693,044

Fast forward to today, and the trend is undeniable: the number of vehicles has more than doubled since the 1990s.

A personal and data-driven look at how traffic on the Costa del Sol has evolved from the 1990s to today, exploring rising vehicle numbers, congestion, and possible solutions.

And growth hasn’t slowed: • Around 30,000 new cars are added each year in Málaga province alone • Thousands more enter circulation via the second-hand market • Seasonal tourism adds tens of thousands of additional vehicles to the roads This isn’t just growth. It’s constant pressure layered on top of existing pressure. The Same Roads, Carrying a Different Burden Here’s the real issue: the road network hasn’t evolved at the same pace.

The A-7 (formerly the N-340) remains the backbone of the Costa del Sol. It was designed in an era when traffic volumes were far lower. Yes, it has been expanded. Yes, sections have improved. But fundamentally, it is still trying to serve modern demand with outdated capacity. Alongside it sits the AP-7 toll road, opened in stages during the late 1990s—a motorway built for efficiency and relief.

And yet… It remains underused. Because it costs money. The Costa del Sol Bottleneck If there is one stretch of road that defines the problem, it is this: Fuengirola → Marbella → San Pedro

This is where everything converges: • Commuters • Delivery traffic • Tourists • Hire cars • Motorbikes • Buses

What should be a flowing motorway becomes a stop-start corridor of frustration. One small incident can ripple backwards for miles. In summer, it doesn’t just get worse. It breaks. Accidents, Pressure, and Reality Traffic congestion isn’t just inconvenient—it has consequences. Recent figures from Málaga highlight the strain: • 35 road deaths in 2025 • Over 500 accidents with victims in the first half of 2026 • 20 fatalities recorded by mid-2026 These numbers reflect a system under pressure. And yet, there is a paradox.

Driving today is statistically safer than it was decades ago. Vehicles are better built, roads are better engineered, and emergency response is faster.

So why does it feel worse?

Because today’s problem isn’t just danger. It’s volume. The Toll Road Question Which brings us to the question that refuses to go away: Why not make the AP-7 free in summer? Even temporarily. Because the logic is simple: • Divert traffic → ease congestion • Ease congestion → reduce accidents • Reduce accidents → improve flow • Improve flow → improve quality of life

Instead, drivers sit in traffic while a faster alternative runs parallel. Yes, the toll generates revenue. But what about the hidden costs? • Lost time • Increased fuel consumption • Higher emissions • Elevated stress levels • Reduced visitor experience At some point, the bigger picture has to matter more. Growth Without Adaptation The Costa del Sol has become one of Europe’s most desirable regions. That success has brought: • Population growth • Urban expansion • Tourism increases • More vehicles on the road But infrastructure has not kept pace. And when growth outstrips planning, pressure follows. The Upside: Not All Doom and Gloom It’s not all negative. There are real positives: • Modern vehicles are far safer than in the 1990s • Road fatality rates have improved over time • Traffic systems and emergency response are more advanced • Investment in sustainable transport is increasing • Awareness of the issue is growing The Costa del Sol is evolving—it just needs to catch up faster. Back When a Shovit Was Enough There’s a certain irony in all of this. Back then, your car might not start. You might have to push it. But once it worked—you drove. Today, everything works perfectly. Except the roads. The Road Ahead So where does this leave us? At a tipping point. More cars. More people. More demand. Unless something changes—whether through toll reform, infrastructure upgrades, or smarter planning—the situation will only intensify. But there is still time. Time to rethink. Time to adapt. Time to act. Because eventually… You have to push.