According to residents and users, the increase in demand has turned this space into a daily point of conflict. By six in the morning, cars are already queuing to occupy a spot in the Etxebarri metro station parking lot. This scene is repeated daily by workers who seek to avoid entering Bilbao with their vehicles.
“"It's increasingly difficult to park, even arriving very early. The parking lot has become too small and there aren't enough spaces."
However, waking up early guarantees nothing; queues can last half an hour or more, and many desperate drivers decide to leave or look for alternatives like parking in OTA zones nearby. Users state they cannot drive their cars in Bilbao, and the six-euro daily OTA fee seems excessive to them.
The parking lot, conceived as a solution to promote public transport, has become too small due to the increasing number of daily users. Among metro users themselves, some criticize what they call "misuse of this parking." They believe the parking is for those who use the metro, not for meeting for coffee in Etxebarri or going to work in the same municipality.
“"There are people who pay 70 cents for parking and don't even use the metro, and then we, who do use it, arrive late because we are waiting."
They have called for greater control to prevent such situations. According to a hospitality worker in Etxebarri, 70% of users are metro commuters, but the rest, or even more, are not. This also creates a collateral effect on the OTA, as with the parking lot full, many have to park in blue or green zones.
If daily life is already on the verge of collapse, on match days everything becomes more complicated. When Athletic plays, the parking lot turns into an improvised shuttle to San Mamés. "It's chaos," agree residents and workers. "Everyone leaves their car here, and then leaving the town is extremely difficult due to the number of cars".
Even weekends, which used to offer some relief, now present the same scenario: full, no spaces, and saturated OTA. Meanwhile, many users end up paying higher rates of at least 5.50 euros for a full day or seek alternatives far from the station. Faced with this situation, users propose access control linked to the metro card to prevent improper use, as well as more surveillance and penalties. Others demand expanding the infrastructure or creating new areas.
