SPANISH Development Minister Magdalena Álvarez has unveiled a Strategic Infrastructure & Transport Plan (PEIT) for the period from 2005 to 2020.
The plan anticipates total investment of €241·4bn, of which €103·4bn would be spent on rail. From the 1031 km of high speed infrastructure currently in service, PEIT aims to create by 2020 a 10000 km ’high performance’ network with 90% of the mainland population within 50 km of a station.
According to the ministry, ’a mixed-traffic network interoperable with the European network’ is to be put in place under PEIT, with only existing high speed lines and those under construction or planned to Córdoba, Valladolid, Santiago, Tarragona and Valencia designated as passenger-only. Of the total PEIT spend, it is expected that 40% will be provided through public-private partnerships, although in the case of rail 81·4% would still be sourced from the central budget.
PEIT has allocated €32·5bn to urban transport and €3·6bn to intermodal freight and passenger transport. The plan is currently out to consultation; once approved by the cabinet and parliament it will be updated every four years.
