Last weekend, Bizkaia enjoyed its first major sunny day, drawing thousands to the coast. However, a lack of parking became evident at several beaches, including Karraspio (Lekeitio) and Gorliz, where the Ertzaintza had to direct traffic and drivers spent long periods searching for a spot.

The primary issue is that the number of available parking spaces is insufficient for the number of bathers. Furthermore, the OTA (parking ordinance) was not active, leading to free parking spots filling up early. Coastal municipalities acknowledge the problem but state that expansion is difficult due to "urbanistic or environmental" reasons.

According to official data, Bizkaia's beaches can accommodate up to 277,306 people simultaneously, yet parking spaces number only around 7,000. This means parking facilities would cover just about 5% of the potential demand, assuming two bathers per vehicle.

For instance, Getxo's popular Ereaga beach can host up to 21,332 people but has only about 540 nearby parking spots. Consequently, the local council emphasizes the use of public transport. In areas like Gorliz, the problem is exacerbated as the nearest metro station (Plentzia) is a half-hour walk away, and its 300 parking spots are primarily reserved for residents.

La Arena, Bizkaia's largest beach, with a capacity for 43,191 people, has approximately a thousand parking spaces. The mayor of Muskiz, Edu Briones, admitted that there will "never be enough parking." A similar situation occurs at Sopela's beaches, offering just over a thousand regulated spots for areas that can accommodate more than 30,000 people.

As a solution, some municipalities, such as Plentzia and Muskiz, have requested increased frequency of metro and bus services to promote public transport and alleviate pressure on parking.