Minister for Transport “worried” about lack of rail investment deal

PALMA
THE Balearic Minister for Transport, Gabriel Vicens, has expressed his worry about the length of time it is taking to finalise the rail investment deal with Madrid.

The deal to expand the existing rail network is valued by the Balearic Government at some 600 million euros.
Both the Balearic and central Government's economic departments are currently going through the terms of the deal, which, once signed, will enable work to begin on the extension of the line from Inca to Alcudia and Arta, as well as the tram from Palma to the airport.

However, the deal is “not advancing as it should be”, according to Vicens, who added that it would be “inexplicable” to the citizens of the Balearics if the deal was not closed quickly.

Vicens said that “electoral promises” had to be kept and that central Government could not spend 121 million euros on the Spanish rail network “without the Balearics receiving any type of investment, it's a question of justice”.

Vicens recalled that neither the PSOE nor the PP had spent a single euro when in power on the Balearic rail system since the community took responsibility for it in 1994.

Vicens said that the Government “must defend the interests of the citizens of the Balearics.
Meanwhile, Balearic Senator Pere Sampol is to question the Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero about the situation today.