Charlie Smith
CYCLISTS and scooter-riders have been banned from a notorious Costa del Sol promenade that raucously entered Phase 1.
Those on two wheels will now be forbidden to use Malaga’s Paseo de Pedregalejo from 7-11pm, despite loosened COVID-19 restrictions elsewhere.
It comes after a street brawl in the area involving ‘dozens’ of people saw one man lose a tooth, while chairs and bins were hurled as weapons.
Extra police patrols have since been dispatched to the troubled strip, amid other uncivil behaviour that included revellers vomiting and urinating outside.
The new ban, which came into force on Thursday, covers the coastal path all the way from Baños del Carmen to El Candado.
Malaga City Council has enacted the new restrictions in a bid to ensure that those passing through the area practice social distancing.
City chiefs said they have not ruled out extending the ban to the whole day, especially at weekends when there is a higher footfall.
Bike and scooter traffic is now being channeled through Calle Bolivia and Avenida Juan Sebastian Elcano.
A 30km speed limit has been imposed on these streets, which have been clearly marked out for road-users.
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On this busy stretch of coastline, the Paseo de Pedregalejo in particular has been singled out due to its very narrow walkway.
At a particularly tight 100-metre section there is only a gap of three metres between the beach wall and the bars and restaurants.
It has long been customary for those waiting for a table to sit on the wall opposite, compounding the problem of an already-crowded promenade.
But this practice has now been outlawed and is being enforced through the extra police patrols.
Meanwhile, since Tuesday’s huge brawl in Pedregalejo, more details have emerged about how the fight started.
The conflict ignited when two men ‘played a joke’ on a young woman involving a chair on the terrace of a ‘well-known’ bar, according to Diario Sur.
Others sitting on the wall then got involved, before objects were thrown and a full-blown fight erupted.
The violence moved to a nearby square, where one man was left ‘wounded’ on the floor, with the shocking scene filmed and uploaded to social media.
