Last March, the Madrid City Council plenary session approved an amendment to the Sustainable Mobility Ordinance (OMS) that allowed, among other measures, the expansion of the regulated parking service (SER) —in other words, parking meters—to new neighborhoods in the capital.
From April 27 through May 11, 2026, this proposal will be put to a vote in two neighborhoods of the Carabanchel district: Opañel and San Isidro. Thus, as has already happened in other parts of the city, it will be the residents who decide whether the expansion of parking meters proposed by the Madrid City Council will ultimately be implemented in the area where they live.
According to neighborhood sources cited by various media outlets, the general sentiment is in favor of expanding the SER to these two neighborhoods in Carabanchel, although some residents believe the measure is solely intended to generate revenue.
There are also other positions that favor alternatives to SER, such as a citizen proposal advocating for the construction of municipal residential parking lots in San Isidro “to genuinely increase the number of available spaces and reduce pressure on street parking.”
With the expansion of the Regulated Parking Area (AER), as outlined in Article 49.1 of the current OMS regulations, the aim is to “balance the availability of parking for residents with the necessary turnover on public streets.”
Which areas of these neighborhoods would the new parking meters affect?
In the case of Opañel, the SER would cover the area between General Ricardos, Antonio Leyva, and Avenida de Oporto.
As for San Isidro, the affected area would be the zone bounded by San Ambrosio Street, Paseo de la Ermita del Santo, Paseo Quince de Mayo, General Ricardos Street, and the area around the Toledo Bridge.
How to vote on the expansion of parking meters?
Residents affected by this expansion will be able to vote online during the aforementioned period via the Decide Madrid portal under the Public Consultations section. To participate, you must be registered and have a verified account.
Once the session has started with the user account created (and provided the voting period is open), you can access relevant information about the public consultation via the “Details” tab and cast your vote.