From the Government of Aragon and the city councils of the region's three provincial capitals to the Teruel Provincial Council, as well as CEOE Aragon, Valencia's CEV, Teruel Existe, the Association of Civil Engineers, CHA, Compromís and the Trans-Pyrenean Foundation, all agree on the need to implement a high-performance, electrified double-track line.
THE SUBMISSIONS DEMAND DOUBLE TRACK
All the submissions call for the withdrawal or annulment of the current case so that a new study can be drafted covering a double-track line for mixed passenger and freight use. They agree in describing the current proposal as a deficient alternative that fails to guarantee the performance required for infrastructure of national and European importance.
The various stakeholders warn that building these 137 kilometers as a single-track line will create a structural bottleneck and a "weak link" throughout the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor, as it will not offer the same performance as the adjacent Teruel-Zaragoza section, planned as a double-track line for speeds of 200 to 250 km/h. They argue that this asymmetry will hinder direct connections between Mediterranean ports, the Ebro Valley and the Cantabrian coast, to the benefit of other corridors.
Another key point of agreement is the criticism of the use of outdated demand forecasts based on traffic flows from 2017. The submissions argue that the study overlooks the economic transformation and potential of key logistics hubs such as PLAZA in Zaragoza, PLATEA in Teruel, Zaragoza's Maritime Terminal, Teruel Airport, Parc Sagunt and the Port of Valencia. They warn that sizing the infrastructure according to past traffic levels will prevent new investment from being attracted.
Alongside these broad areas of consensus, the various submissions contain their own specific points. Teruel Existe denounces that the official project includes sections limited to 70 km/h and freezes passenger services until 2061. Meanwhile, the Association of Civil Engineers proposes connecting the route with Europe via the Central Pyrenean Crossing, while the business associations CEOE Aragon and CEV suggest carrying out the project in phases.
Finally, the Teruel Provincial Council specifically calls for a freight bypass at the Puerto de Escandón to connect with PLATEA and the airport. CHA and Compromís, in turn, stress the importance of the line in meeting Just Transition objectives and promoting reindustrialization following the closure of the mines and the Andorra Thermal Power Plant.
