Marbella's free resident public transport scheme renewed for two more years

FREE public transport passes for all residents in Marbella will be automatically renewed for two years, the council has announced.

The Tarjeta de Movilidad, or 'Mobility Card', is available to anyone on the census, or padrón, in the Costa del Sol town, irrespective of age or income, at no fee.

This said, those aged 65 and over who are registered on the padrón as residents are automatically entitled to a Tarjeta Dorada, or 'Gold Card', giving them free local transport and discounts on travel elsewhere, as is the case in most parts of Spain.

'Mobility Cards', introduced in 2019, are a welcome feature for commuters, shoppers, GP and hospital patients, among others, as it means they do not need to use their cars – if they have them – except when travelling out of town, and they also save substantial amounts on fares throughout the year.

This is especially crucial for those on low incomes – despite Marbella's obvious glamour and its long-held reputation as a popular bolt-hole for the rich and famous, its average annual earnings per head is among the lowest in the country, beneath the national average salary, largely because its local economy is so strongly linked to seasonal tourism.

Mayoress Ángeles Muñoz says a total of 85% of round-town public transport journeys last year were made by 'Mobility Card' holders, who represent a total of 66,420 residents, of whom 84% do not have an over-65s' 'Gold Card'.

In fact, since the Tarjeta de Movilidad was launched around two years ago, it has covered over six million free-of-charge rides on local buses.

The automatic two-year renewal, aimed at continuing to provide this valuable public service, will not involve any action on the card-holder's part.

These will just continue to function until at least 2023, irrespective of their current expiry dates.

Ángeles Muñoz says the idea of this is to avoid people having to leave home, queue up, and form crowds in council offices to try to renew their passes in public – a situation which would create a risk of contagion.

After 2023, it is expected that the 'Mobility Card' will be renewed for at least another two years, given that it has proven 'such a success'.

“In fact, other towns are investigating our system and working on launching their own free resident transport pass,” says Ángeles Muñoz.

She points out that as well as the financial benefits to residents, it also slashes emissions considerably, since it reduces the number of cars on the roads – contributing towards the fight against climate change, and also making the air healthier for Marbella's residents and visitors to breathe.

Further, the Tarjeta de Movilidad scheme has encouraged people already living in Marbella to get around to registering on the padrón if they had not already – although this is a legal requirement, it is not generally policed and people do not fact penalties for failing to do so, but it brings huge advantages for the person registered and also for the town.

Sra Muñoz recalls that permanent dwellers signing onto the padrón is an act of community spirit and in the common good, since all towns in Spain are given set sums of money by the national and regional governments per head of their populations.

This money translates to better services and facilities such as cleaning, road repairs, parking spaces, firefighters, teachers, carers, medical services, police to keep the public safe, and generally helping to maintain councils solvent so they do not have to increase property tax for residents.

Also, only people recorded on the padrón will get a call when it is their turn to be vaccinated against Covid-19, as this is the only way authorities know who is out there and needs it.

The mayoress says the free public transport scheme costs the council around €6 million a year, meaning roughly €2 per ride, so the fact that more residents have made the move to sign onto the census to take advantage of it, allowing for more funds to be paid into the public coffers, is good news for the community as it will help finance the scheme and ensure its continuity.