The Spanish government has admitted it lacks the necessary public resources to remove heavy vehicles from highways following a major accident that paralyzed traffic in Málaga.
The disclosure comes after a trailer crash inside the Carlos Haya false tunnel on the MA-20 state highway on Wednesday night caused a total collapse of the road network across the capital and the Greater Málaga area throughout much of Thursday.
While the Ministry of Transport and the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) typically manage road assistance, they do not maintain their own specialized equipment or contracted services specifically for the recovery of large, damaged trucks.
A parliamentary response dated December 2025, issued following inquiries by the People’s Party (PP) regarding a wave of truck accidents on the A-7, confirms that “there has not existed any specific protocol for the removal of heavy vehicles” previously. This lack of institutional preparation has left the resolution of major incidents entirely in the hands of private towing companies and individual insurance policies.
“It is not always viable, either due to the nature of the damaged or broken vehicle, or due to its condition,” the central administration stated regarding the physical limitations of moving heavy transport during severe accidents.
Complexity of the Carlos Haya tunnel recovery
The recent incident in the MA-20 tunnel presented unique technical challenges that extended the recovery timeline. According to a spokesperson for the Government Subdelegation, the operation required specialized firms to handle both the cargo and the vehicles separately.
Recovery efforts were complicated by the physical constraints of the tunnel, which prevented the use of large cranes that could lift a vehicle vertically. Instead, technicians had to perform the extraction through a dragging method. The situation was further aggravated by the specific nature of the cargo and the vehicles involved:
- Flammable Cargo: The trailer was carrying 23 tons of liquid and pastry flour, a combination that poses a high fire risk.
- Structural Risk: Officials said that any fire resulting from the accident could cause significant damage to the tunnel’s structure.
Specialized crews began work around 10:00 a.m. on Thursday to unload the contents before attempting to move the wreckage. While the driver and transport company are from Morocco, the Subdelegation confirmed the truck was insured, and the insurance company has assumed the high costs of the operation.
Málaga traffic volume surges on Valle-Inclán avenue
The impact of a single heavy vehicle breakdown is magnified by the current traffic volume in Málaga. Data from the City Council’s Mobility Area shows that the Valle-Inclán avenue, which leads to the tunnel, handles some of the highest traffic intensities in the region. Traffic levels have surged due to rising housing costs and a growing population, yet road capacity has remained static.
| Day Type | Eastbound (Toward Center) | Westbound (Toward Torremolinos) |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | 32,165 vehicles | 24,914 vehicles |
| Saturdays | 30,395 vehicles | 20,556 vehicles |
| Sundays | 26,930 vehicles | 17,422 vehicles |
Beyond physical congestion, foreign-registered trucks face administrative hurdles. Industry sources indicate that many heavy vehicles operate with basic insurance policies that do not cover the high costs of accident recovery or towing. In some instances, the civil liability coverage for such vehicles may be as low as a thousand euros, while the cost of a heavy-duty tow can reach 20,000 euros.
This financial discrepancy often leads private towing companies to hesitate or refuse work involving foreign trucks due to the difficulty of guaranteeing payment. This creates a vacuum where recovery times depend entirely on the availability of a private firm willing to negotiate terms with an insurer or a transport company.
Unresolved protocols for heavy transport
The People’s Party has criticized the government’s reliance on private insurance clauses to manage public infrastructure safety. They argue that the removal of heavy vehicles should not depend solely on whether a driver has included specific recovery clauses in their mandatory insurance policy.
As the recovery in the Carlos Haya tunnel continues under strict safety protocols to prevent fire or structural damage, the question of long-term infrastructure management remains. The central government has not announced any plans to develop the specific protocols or technical means that the Ministry of Transport currently lacks.
