Laurence Dollimore
THE long awaited Costa del Sol railway has been listed as a priority in the next round of Spain’s infrastructure investment.
The Costa train line, with an estimated cost of €5 billion, has been promised on and off since the 1990s, but it has stalled due to lack of funding and a lack of agreement between Madrid and the Junta.
The train service, which would run from Malaga airport to Marbella and Estepona, may now be with us within a decade as Spain’s economy continues to be one of the fastest growing in the Eurozone, freeing up more capital and increasing investment ceilings.
Julián Núñez, president of SEOPAN – the Association of Construction Companies and Concessionaires of Infrastructure – says the government will most likely prioritise health and education over the next two years.
But he added: “The consolidated GDP growth and the progressive scale back of the deficit have created some space to increase public investment in infrastructure.”
He has therefore created a prospective investment portfolio for the government, listing the projects that are a priority to improve the country’s competitive edge and which will increase economic activity.
The 814 projects are already planned, but just need the funds and green light from Madrid, and could be begun and completed in the 2017/2021 period.
Public investment is long overdue in the country, having been reduced by 58% since 2009.
The European commission says public investment in Spain as of 2014 was at the same level as 1984.
Lack of investment in certain areas has also added to inequalities between different regions.
