We are publishing some extracts of the news from EFE agency related to the top level meeting at la Costa del Sol to address the Coastal Train problems as well as other mobility problems, celebrated on the past July the 17th, with the attendance of 18 Costa del Sol mayors, the president of the Malaga Council Office and the Development Secretary of State.
The Spanish government is planning to tender an informative study regarding the future Costa del Sol coastal train for the coming 2025, having in account that in the first place it is needed to define the approach to be given after listening the Junta de Andalucía (regional government) and the Costa del Sol concerned municipalities. Besides, they are prone to establish future discounts to the AP-7 tollway.
The Transports Secretary of State, José Antonio Santano, has announced that after the Summit celebrated in Málaga to solve the mobility problems at the Costa del Sol. The Public Works Andalusian Counsellor, Rocío Díaz, the president of the Malaga Council Office as well as the mayors of 18 municipalities of the área affected by those mobility issues.
The attendees have agreed to find solutions both in the short and medium term to that mobility problems, reason for which a work group has been appointed, and Mr. Santano has explained that one of the options taken into consideration is the Commuter Train, and in case that was the option chosen, the different phases for the attainment. Regarding the tollway discounts are to be designed thinking of the recurring travelers and students.
It is expected a new meeting of the work group at the beginning of 2025. Ms. Díaz has weighed that a “significant step” has occurred with the commitments taken on this first stage encounter. She has acknowledged this first reunion to tackle the Costa del Sol (up to Algeciras) mobility problems an event Ms. Díaz understood as dire to be celebrated.
There is a Commuter train line presently in work which connects the city of Málaga with Fuengirola, though it doesn’t cover of the western Costa del Sol since it doesn’t reach Málaga nor extends to the Cadiz coast.
There is no Commuter train neither to the East Malaga Coast, that is to say from Málaga to Nerja.
Up to 26 different authorities have intervened in a meeting after which the Secretary of State has manifested that given the expectation this is a reunion that should have taken place long before, he has also expressed the Government commitment to start the procedures to elaborate a viability study.
Furthermore, an outcome of the meeting is a bet to come to an understanding regarding mobility without having to wait for the train, a solution is bound to be given on the long term. They have agreed that there’s a need to act now.
Mr. Santano has also addressed the collapse of the A7 highway and has committed to analyze measures to ease the traffic issues and to relieve the traffic congestion. Regarding tollway discounts (to encourage the use of the alternative road) the Secretary of State pointed out that there is a contract with the franchised company and therefore it is compulsory to study its determinants.
Francisco Salado, president of the Málaga Council Office and mayor of Rincón de la Victoria, has expressed his satisfaction as well as the rest of the mayors attending the Summit, for the important understanding scenario between the Central Government, the regional government and the local authorities.
He has explained that several committees are to be assembled prior of the end of the year. In particular, a technical board to address the issue with the accesses from the A7 to the different towns. Mr. Salado explained that over two million people are waiting to have their mobility issues sorted out.
Malaga Mayor, Francisco de la Torre, celebrated the commitment to have the viability study issued within months. He has also stressed the importance of the public transport as well as the needed improvements to the perimetral roads.
Source EFE
