The Spanish government is investing hugely in railways at the moment. With over 3,400 km of high-speed rail tracks, Spain has the largest high-speed rail network in Europe and the second largest in the world, after China. The aim is to ensure that all Spanish provincial capitals are connected by high-speed rail, with travel times ideally not exceeding two hours.
But this begs the question as to whether or not the proposed railway along the Costa del Sol to Marbella, Estepona and beyond is a priority. Sur in English is very clear that it needs to be and invites us to sign a petition in support.
The coastal strip of the Costa del Sol has become one large urban area with a million and a half inhabitants, plus some fourteen million tourists visiting each year, as well as tens of thousands of temporary residents. And is set to grow, having established itself as one of the best places in the world to live and work. But this degree of growth raises all sorts of issues in terms of sustainability and infrastructure, not to mention congestion on roads and pollutant gas emissions.
The solution, the paper believes, is a public transport network that meets the demand of population density, tourist flow and economic activity.
Read the article here. Sign the petition here.
How does this affect us as individuals? And how does this affect us as a Chaplaincy? Could it be that in the years to come Málaga will become a hub of ministry for the whole Costa del Sol, making a joined-up rail link a huge benefit?