Horta de Sant Joan approves the parking fee in the Ports Natural Park

The Horta de Sant Joan City Council has definitively approved the modification of the municipal ordinance regulating parking in certain natural spaces of the municipality, which imposes a fee on parking in ten parking lots within the Ports Natural Park between March 1 and October 31. The agreement, adopted by the Plenary on July 2, 2026, became final as no objections were filed during the public information process, and the full text is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Tarragona on August 24, 2026 (reference CVE 2026-07808).

A fee to protect a critical natural space

The municipality of Horta de Sant Joan covers 11,922 hectares, of which 5,443 are located within the Ports Natural Park, declared in 2001 via Decree 160/2001, of June 12, which also created the partial natural reserve of the Fagedes dels Ports. The area is part of the European Natura 2000 network as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Site of Community Importance (SCI), and is mostly included in the Terres de l’Ebre Biosphere Reserve, known as EbreBiosfera.

The ordinance, signed by Mayor-President Jordi Martin Cuello, justifies the measure by the need to protect natural values and organize traffic along the Port road, an area considered critical due to the risk of forest fires. The revenue from the fee will be used to finance sustainable mobility actions and the improvement of access to natural spaces and rural paths.

Ten parking lots, three with payment

The fee applies to the parking of mopeds, motorcycles, cars, and motorhomes in the designated parking lots along the Port road, from 6:00 to 22:00 hours, and in the Les Olles area, from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00 hours. Only three of the ten spaces require payment:

• Mas de Lliberós Parking: €5 per access/day for all types of vehicles.
• Canaletes Parking: €20 per day for any vehicle.
• Les Olles Parking: €5 per access and time slot.

The remaining parking lots (Mirador, Camí Roques de Benet, Monument del Guarda, La Franqueta recreational area, past the La Franqueta recreational area, Mas de Quiquet, and Mas de Quiquet road) are exempt from payment.

Discounts for residents and businesses

The ordinance provides discounts for residents and businesses in the municipality. Vehicles with a circulation permit in the name of persons residing in Horta de Sant Joan, as well as owners of estates within the Natural Park and Les Olles, enjoy a 99.99% discount on the fee amount. Tourism, sports, and educational service companies with their registered office and business license in the municipality receive a 25% discount on the annual subscription of 500 euros, and may reserve up to three spaces at the Canaletes and Mas de Lliberós parking lots.

Payment can be made via prepayment (cash, Bizum, or transfer), and reservations for individuals are managed through an application with a maximum of seven days’ notice. The ordinance prohibits overnight stays in the parking lots and parking on the roadsides, and provides for the restriction of the use of all spaces in the event of the activation of the Alfa Plan due to fire risk.

A measure with impact for visitors and residents

The new fee directly affects the thousands of visitors who each season access the Ports Natural Park, one of Catalonia’s most significant spaces for its geological, landscape, biological, and cultural value. For the residents of Horta de Sant Joan, the almost total discount represents a relief, while the ordinance seeks to guarantee the passage of emergency and firefighting vehicles in a high forest risk area.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Tarragona, no. August 24, 2026, section I-content, pp. 1-10 (official reference: CVE 2026-07808).