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Drivers heading into Murcia now have a new option to avoid the usual hunt for a space, after the Ayuntamiento opened a large park-and-ride next to the Hacienda (Tax Agency) building this week.

 

The new facility, located in Santiago y Zaraíche near Avenida Juan Carlos I, offers 404 spaces and is already proving popular. One of the first users, Carlos, said: “I didn’t know it was opening today, but I saw the ‘available’ sign and it worked out perfectly,” after arriving to run errands at the nearby offices.

 

The opening comes just as many people begin preparing their annual tax return, with key dates for this year’s campaign already confirmed and the draft filing period set to begin in early April. The location, right by the Hacienda headquarters, is expected to be particularly useful in the coming weeks.

 

To encourage drivers to use the new space during one of the busiest times of year, parking will be free throughout Holy Week and the Spring Festival, until Sunday April 18, after the Burial of the Sardine. After that, standard Aparcamurcia rates will apply, starting at €0.50 per hour with a daily maximum of €3.

 

The idea is simple. Leave the car on the outskirts and either walk or take public transport into the centre. Councillor José Francisco Muñoz said the typical user is someone “who comes to do a job or errand or to carry out their workday”, while also helping residents who need more parking options in a growing area.

 

The car park has been designed with comfort in mind, not just capacity. Around 150 large trees have been planted to provide shade, and the surface helps reduce heat, making it more pleasant during Murcia’s hotter months. It also includes a drainage system beneath the ground that can hold large volumes of rainwater and release it gradually, helping to prevent flooding in an area affected by nearby ramblas.

 

The move also builds on earlier efforts to make tax processes easier to manage, including the launch of online tools allowing residents to check whether they are likely to owe money or receive a refund before submitting their return.

 

With more than 800 new parking spaces added across the city in the past month, the Ayuntamiento says the goal is to make parking at the city’s entrances the easiest option, reducing congestion in the centre during major events like the Bando de la Huerta.

 

 

Images: Ayuntamiento de Murcia