SPAIN’s Ministry of Development called bids on April 9 for consultants to assist with the development of a second cross-city rail tunnel under Madrid. The 8 km tunnel is intended to carry the capital’s growing suburban traffic, releasing pressure in the existing tunnel for main line services.
The aim is to build a single double-track bore from Atocha to Nuevos Ministerios, and two single bores from there northwards to Chamartín. Two intermediate stations would be built later at Sol-Gran Vía and Alonso Martínez, which would provide the main interchanges between the suburban and metro networks. The two sites have been selected to provide interchange with as many metro lines as possible.
A week earlier, the Ministry announced that a Pts4bn contract had been awarded to Ferrovial Agroman SA for the extension of suburban Line C5 extension from Fuenlabrada to Humanes; when completed this will give a 26min journey time from Atocha to Humanes.
