10 May, 2024 @ 19:00
1 min read

Costa del Sol train latest: Andalucia President says project is essential for Malaga’s economy as he blasts Madrid for ‘laughing and looking the other way’

Andalucia to have regional elections in June
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THE Junta de Andalucia president has slammed the Spanish government for ‘laughing’ at Malaga in his strongest plea yet for a Costa del Sol train.

The region’s president, Juanma Moreno, accused the national president, Pedro Sanchez, of ‘looking the other way’ as the province’s power brokers have increasingly lined up to petition the government.

“The least I can ask of a leader is that he has the humility to come to Malaga and explain to the people of Malaga the reasons why he does not invest what we deserve in railways and Cercanías, which will boost the development of a province that generates so many receipts, well-being and future,” he stressed.

Moreno also criticised the ‘disdain and contempt towards the people of Malaga’ that he claims the Transport Minister Oscar Puente has shown.

READ MORE: Fresh demands for Costa del Sol train: Mayors and experts band together to insist on ‘necessary’ project

Renfe strike is called off: Railway company agrees deal with 15,000 workers after threat of walkouts across Spain saw 1,500 trains cancelled
Politicians in Malaga have long demanded a train along the Costa del Sol

Puente has notoriously dismissed out of hand various pleas from local politicians and mayors from Malaga, claiming any plans for a train would be too ‘complicated and expensive’.

Moreno pointed out the ‘huge deficit’ in the province’s railway infrastructure and called the government’s indifference is ‘palpable’.

“Malaga cannot continue to develop economically and socially without significant support from the national government,” Moreno continued.

READ MORE: Underwater tunnel connecting Spain and Morocco by train could be finished in time for the 2030 World Cup, say researchers

The province is expected to reach a population of two million in the coming years and needs adequate infrastructure to sustain its growth, he pointed out.

“Malaga needs new spaces, new infrastructure that enable development and sustained growth in the coming decades for the benefit of the people of Malaga, of Andalucia, and all Spaniards.”

However, he did acknowledge the complexity of such a large-scale project, Moreno adding: “Initiatives never conclude if they are never commenced—we must start.” 

Speaking at the closing of the Provincial Intermunicipal held by the Málaga Popular Party at La Térmica, he concluded by calling the coastal train line a matter of political will and prioritisation.

Click here to read more Costa Del Sol News from The Olive Press.

Walter Finch, is the Digital Editor of the Olive Press and occasional roaming photographer who started out at the Daily Mail.
Born in London but having lived in six countries, he is well-travelled and worldly. He studied Philosophy at the University of Birmingham and earned his NCTJ diploma in journalism from London's renowned News Associates during the Covid era.
He got his first break working on the Foreign News desk of the Daily Mail's online arm, where he also helped out on the video desk due to previous experience as a camera operator and filmmaker.
He then decided to escape the confines of London and returned to Spain in 2022, having previously lived in Barcelona for many years.

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