A leaked document from ADIF, the railways operator, that Ideal newspaper got hold of, appears to confirm that those in power have no plans whatsoever to continue with the Almeria high speed train link.
“Not one cent more for the railway in the province” according to Ideal.
The document, which is a high level strategy document adjusting the national strategy for railways, says that the AVE to Murcia should be finished off, and then the extension down to Cartagena be finished off, but possibly only as a standard gauge railway (with the possibility of upgrading to high speed later). The AVE line to Murcia is almost finished.
The rest of the line should not be touched until 2019, states the document, which is when the next national strategy in rail is due to be prepared.
The document adds that in both cities, the AVE should not be taken into the town centre, but for cost reasons the stations should be built on the outskirts of town.
This is despite local senators having denied in recent weeks that the AVE in the province has been dropped, after the EU appeared to withdraw funding for the project.