SPAIN’S right-wing Popular Party (PP) has called for La Línea de la Concepción to be included in the planned Costa del Sol coastal railway.
The move comes as a surprise given the party’s usual hostility towards Gibraltar and any investment in La Linea that might benefit the British Overseas Territory.
The party has submitted a non-binding motion to the Andalucian Parliament demanding that the Spanish government reverses the decision to exclude La Línea from the proposed Nerja–Algeciras rail route, and instead adds a branch line or dedicated stop.
The proposal will be debated this week, with the PP arguing that La Línea has suffered a ‘historic infrastructure deficit’ and has been repeatedly overlooked in major transport projects.
La Línea borders Gibraltar and forms part of the Campo de Gibraltar, an area officially recognised by the Andalucian Parliament as a Zone of Special Singularity due to its social and economic pressures.
The PP says the town is Spain’s only cross-border city and one of the few municipalities with more than 60,000 residents that still has no rail connection, placing it at a clear disadvantage compared to other parts of southern Spain.
Susana González, president of the PP in La Línea and an MP in the Andalusian Parliament, said the town ‘can no longer be invisible’.
‘Leaving La Línea out of the Nerja–Algeciras rail project is unfair and blocks the development of our city,’ Susana González said, the local president of the People’s Party in La Línea and a member of the Andalusian Parliament.
The motion also points to the impact of Brexit and ongoing talks between the EU and the UK, which are expected to reshape cross-border movement and employment.
The PP warns that the possible removal of the border fence would effectively create a shared urban area of around 130,000 people, combining the populations of La Línea and Gibraltar, making improved transport links essential.
READ MORE:
At present, more than 60% of journeys in the area are made by car, while trips to Malaga often take more than an hour and 30 minutes, increasing congestion, emissions and costs.
The party is urging the government to consider a rail demand study by the University of Cadiz, commissioned by La Línea town hall, which concludes that a railway stop in the municipality would be viable and necessary.
The PP says including La Línea in the rail project would support sustainable transport, boost economic development and reduce territorial inequality, while calling for closer coordination between central, regional and local authorities.
Andaucia and the Campo de Gibraltar cannot continue to be sidelined when strategic infrastructure decisions are made,’ González said. ‘This is about fairness and the future of La Línea.’
Click here to read more Costa Del Sol News from The Olive Press.
