MARBELLA – At the request of Madrid, the regional government of Andalucia has submitted proposals that may be eligible for the Next Generation funds. Below is also the proposal for the extension of the coastal train via Marbella and Estepona to Algeciras.
According to earlier calculations by the Junta de Andalucía, this project would require €2 billion euros in European money. They want to connect the stretch of track that now exists to Fuengirola with Marbella, Estepona and Algeciras. That has been a big wish of Marbella town hall for years. This municipality is the only one with more than 100,000 inhabitants in Spain that is not accessible by rail.
Favourable effects on tourism and logistics
The Andalucian plan, not only extends the Cercanías network but also increases the possibility of adapting the line to high speed. It would also greatly improve the connection between Marbella and the airport in Málaga. Consequently, this would also have many beneficial effects in the field of tourism and logistics.
Saving “tons of CO2”
The Junta also argues that it would not only “save tons of CO2”, but also create employment and mobility in the area and improve “speed, competitiveness, interconnectivity and security”. This initiative was already presented to the government in 2020, but so far without response.
241 proposals from Andalucia for a total amount of 43.2 billion euros
In total, the Junta de Andalucía transferred a total of 241 proposals to the national government. These proposals can be included in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) and receive European funding through Next Generation funds. This concerns a total amount of €43.2 billion of investments divided over all provinces.
Regions have no decision-making power
The Junta de Andalucía, like the rest of the Autonomous Communities, has no decision-making power over the management or destination of the Next Generation funds. It concerns money that the European Union allocates to Spain. The national government decides its fate unilaterally. As such, the Autonomous Communities can only propose initiatives for financing.
