The EU has confirmed that it has no plans to finance the local high speed train in Almeria until after 2020.
Following on from yesterdays announcement that the local AVE line has been dropped from Europe’s list of “priority rail investments”, the EU budget office has confirmed to Spanish MEP’s that no money will be allocated in the current round of transport investments. This means that Almeria will have to battle for EU cash in the next round of EU grants, which won’t be until 2020. Not a single EU cent will go on the provincial connection until then.
The only way the AVE line is going to be finished now is if the central Spanish government stumps up the cash, which, frankly, would be almost impossible in the current economic climate. What little money Madrid has allocated to the AVE network is going to finish the (almost completed) line from Murcia to Cartagena.
The EU will connect Murcia to Algeciras port via a cheaper inland route, ignoring Almeria province, and connecting up with the Malaga line.
This makes sense from a central viewpoint – it just leaves Almeria with a billion euro 19 km stretch of AVE line that is worthless (plus Spain’s second longest tunnel).
Mind you, we knew this was coming – last December, the mayor of Almeria warned us it wouldn’t be finished this decade.
Suggestions, people?
Later: President Grinan of Andalucia has said it’s all the fault of Madrid, and blamed a PP plot to undermine the PSOE in Andalucia.