Almanzora motorway money goes to Jaén

The Junta de Andalucía had promised that works on the Almanzora motorway through Albox would restart by Easter. Well, as ideal newspaper points out today, we’re past Easter and still no sign of any workers. Nor has the Ministry responded to questions on timescales. However, a motorway in a similar situation, called the autovía del olivar in Jaén, on which works stopped two years ago, today saw the return of workers, after the EU stumped Continue reading Almanzora motorway money goes to Jaén

Still no date on when Almanzora motorworks will resume

Another snag has hit the abandoned Almanzora motorway – the company that’s supposed to be building it has basically gone under, so works can’t resume. That’s the explanation of the Junta for why works haven’t started, despite the fact that cash has been made available in the 2014 budget. Work on the Almanzora motorway was abandoned in 2011 when the Junta ran out of cash. They tried to do a civil-public partnership, but no-one was Continue reading Still no date on when Almanzora motorworks will resume

AVE prices slashed to stop trains running empty

Ana Pastor, the national Minister for Development, has announced that as from 2013 her department will slash ticket prices on all AVE (high speed trains) as they are currently “astronomically high”. Ana told TVE1 today that despite Spain having an efficient and fast high speed train network, the trains are running half empty as people just can’t afford the ticket prices. The news came after a national survey by her Ministry identified 175 AVE stations Continue reading AVE prices slashed to stop trains running empty

Vera – Cartagena toll road in financial difficulties

Rumours abound that Aucosta, the company that has the lease to operate the Vera – Cartagena toll road, is losing so much money on it that it’s about to return the road, and the associated debts, back to the State. Aucosta projected that to break even, it needed 7,000 users a day on the road, and hoped for an average of about 10,000 on its business plan. It’s had an average, so far this year, Continue reading Vera – Cartagena toll road in financial difficulties

Blanco visits Almeria to oversee AVE work

Minister of State for Development José Blanco (known to his friends as ¡Peeepe!) together with an assortment of VIP’s and hanger-on’s, visited Almería yesterday to oversee the switching on of the tunnelling machine that is building the 7,5km tunnel from Sorbas to Barranco de los Gafarillos. The tunnel will be the longest in Andalucia once finished, and in the top 5 nationally. Rumours that they had to ask the Ministry of Defense to locate Almería Continue reading Blanco visits Almeria to oversee AVE work