Liam Kirkaldy (Reporter)
By Giles Brown
The PSOE Socialist Party wants central government to re-tender the controversial testing ring for high-speed trains in Antequera.
It comes after German multinational Siemens confirmed its interest in investing in the unpopular project, which would see trains reaching speeds of up to 520km/h.
The socialist party boss says the move would create much-needed jobs and turn the province into a ‘leader of rail technology’.
A previous tender crashed into the buffers after the test track failed to attract a single bid.
But PSOE boss Miguel Angel Heredia now claims that the that tender was ‘botched’ and that unfair terms posed a ‘great economic risk’ for potential bidders.
He has now asked that the obstacles be removed.
Heredia demanded that central government negotiate a moratorium with the European Union, so that the 250 million euros that the European Regional Development Fund had earmarked for the project are not lost.
He also criticised the lack of political will of the PP and said that the lack of funds in the State Budget for the project underlined this.
However, local residents have voiced their opposition, claiming that the ring will have a huge environmental impact on the area.
They insist there will be incalculable damage to villages including Fuente de Piedra, Mollina, Alameda and Humilladero, as well as the traditional farming area of La Vega.
Could Spain possibly build one dedicated tunnel using this high speed rail system, that stretches all the way to the uk? Specifically to send moaning Brits back at 520km/h.
@ Mr Stevens……..If that were to happen the O.P.on-line posting facility would close through lack of use.
ha ha oh yeh, sorry Amparo. I forgot we need the misery!
complaining about the complainers, when no one has actually complained… oh the irony.
Why dont you MrStevens go away, and then *everyone* will be happy doing and saying what they want.
If you can’t see what’s wrong with just handing out insults to Spain on this website without suggesting anything constructive, you’ve just booked the first ticket on my train bigJon! See ya! Whoosh! ha ha