Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, travelled on the inaugural train of the new LAV Valladolid-Palencia-León high-speed railway earlier this week.
The 166-kilometre line will extend the Madrid-Valladolid line, which opened in 2007, and improve rail links to Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country.
Minister of Development Ana Pastor and the president of the Junta de Castilla y León Juan Vicente Herrera attended the inaugural journey alongside the Prime Minister.
As well as €1.6 billion from the Spanish Government, the project has been partly funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the TEN-T financing programme.
The new line will reduce journey times between Madrid and León by 47 minutes. Although capable of 350 km/h operation, the line speed is limited to 200 km/h with the existing ASFA train control system.
Renfe is holding a ticket sale on the route until October 15.
Ten high-speed trains with operate in each direction from Palencia every day. León will have seven daily services in each direction, and the frequency of high-speed services from Valladolid to Madrid will increase from 20 to 24.
Unfortunately, the opening of this line to Leon just shows how infrastructure spending is dictated by political considerations.
Almost all the lines constructed or in construction run through regions which are dominated by the conservative PP party. In relative terms there is no or very little economic importance to the lines extended to Toledo, Badajoz, Alicante, Albacete and Huesca.
The two most important lines for the Spanish economy are those from Madrid to France. The first to Barcelona and Perpignan (which has been finished), while the second is to Vitoria and Irun (which is still up in the air. With the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV – rulers in the Basque Country) pushing on one side while the PP drags its feet on the other, this project is only inching forward.
The Basque region is one of the most important economic motors in Spain, while also the shortest route from France to Oporto, Lisbon and Algerciras (for Morocco). Paris is also nearer than through Perpignan. Therefore, the so-called Basque “Y” high speed line is of paramount importance, both for the Basques and for Spain. It is being built for freight as well as passengers so will increase the economic activity and improve productivity to the Spanish economy.
However, there is a great problem which reflects the PP dragging its feet. The opening of the extension of the AVE line from Valladolid to Burgos is imminent – all well and good. But the all important connection from Burgos to Vitoria is still not in the planning stage. This is an important part of the puzzle in the construction of the high speed lines, and perhaps one which would give the greatest economic benefit. That is why the previous construction of these “railways to nowhere” is so criticised.