European Union accepts proposal from Spanish Government on Trans-European Transport Networks

Since the first guidelines on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) were laid down in 1996, the EU has submitted the network to a review process on two occasions: the first in 2003 and this current process which began in 2009.
Over the course of the last two years, the European Commission and the EU Member States have undertaken what is probably the single most important planning exercise ever to be embarked upon in the field of European transportation.
This tough task, in which Spain has been actively involved, has culminated with the definition of a model that comprises a Core Network and another overarching Comprehensive Network. The latter guarantees access under a series of common minimum standards to all EU regions. The Core Network, which forms part of the Comprehensive Network, will comprise an interconnected grid linking the hubs and connections of strategic importance through multimodal Corridors.
In order to define the Core Network, the European Commission has identified a number of primary hubs according to a series of objective criteria. For example, they need to be urban areas with at least one million inhabitants or ports with annual traffic accounting for more than 1% of total EU traffic.
The new model also provides for the mechanisms to ensure that EU Member States meet their individual obligations with regard to the Network. Consequently, the infrastructures comprising the Core Network must be concluded by the end of 2030 and those comprising the Comprehensive Network by 2050. The European Commission also presented a financial Regulation whereby the Member States have been required to define the actions they intend to undertake. In the case of Spain specifically, the Government has submitted a detailed document describing all the actions that must be undertaken in order to meet the targets related to the Core Network. These actions represent an investment in excess of 49,800 million euros in the period 2014-2020.
However, the action plans provided by the Spanish Ministry of Public Works to the European Commission guarantee that everything will be fully operational in 2020, ten years ahead of the established deadline.

The main corridors included in the grid map presented on Wednesday by the European Commission are multimodal in nature. In other words, all the seaports, airports, logistics hubs and platforms, and production centres will be interconnected by means of both passenger and freight road and/or railway axes, as well as by waterways where applicable. Complete interoperability will exist between the various modes of transport available.
In terms of rail transportation, the decision by the European Commission also guarantees that Spain will overcome the recurring problem associated with track gauge issues (which has generated a significant barrier to trade) as the railway corridors will all need to be interoperable. In other words, they will need to be built using international track gauge, ERTMS systems and electrification.
These two measures, multimodality and interoperability, are intended to guarantee an efficient and sustainable transport system. This will translate into a business cost reduction that, in turn, will lead to increased growth and economic development for our country. Moreover, certain bottlenecks will be eliminated and sustainability will be encouraged by fostering the use of railways - the most environmentally-friendly form of transportation.

The European Commission decision consists of an inter-connected network that covers the entire national territory of Spain in an ordered and coherent fashion.
In the Annexe of its proposal to the European Council and Parliament, the Commission defines ten corridors that criss-cross the entire continent of Europe. Two of these axes will affect Spain:
• A Mediterranean Corridor, which encompasses what the Government of Spain refers to as the Mediterranean Corridor and the Central Corridor, enters Spain via Figueras and runs down to Algeciras and Seville after branching into two sections.
• A Lisbon-Strasburg axis, which includes the so-called Atlantic Corridor in Spain and provides a backbone for the entire western region of the country from the Portuguese border to Irun.
The Commission also makes specific reference to what it calls "other sections" of these corridors in the Core Network, where the connections to Galicia and Asturias would be found, as well as the Valencia-Bilbao section that we refer to as the Bay of Biscay-Mediterranean Corridor and the Madrid-Valencia section that we refer to as the Atlantic-Mediterranean Corridor.
This has generated a grid map with 5 major multimodal corridors (Mediterranean, Central, Atlantic, Bay of Biscay-Mediterranean and Atlantic-Mediterranean) that are inter-connected and, in some cases, share certain sections.
The system will consist of corridors, with a high-speed network for passengers and an interoperable network for freight traffic, as well as a high-performance road network, connecting the main hubs that exist in each corridor, whether they be cities, seaports, airports, large production centres or intermodal terminals located at logistics hubs.

The Mediterranean Corridor consists of a multimodal corridor (road and railway) that runs from the French border to all the major hubs along the Mediterranean. It passes through four autonomous regions that represent 40% of the Spanish population and 40% of national GDP. This is a strategic axis for Spain and Europe as it provides a connection from the south to the central and northern regions of the continent.
The railway corridor presented on Wednesday follows the route planned for in the study carried out by the Spanish Ministry of Public Works. The Core Network will thus connect the cities of Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, Castellon, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Cartagena and Almeria, with links via the transversal Andalusian axis to Granada and Antequera. The line will split in Antequera to continue on to Seville on one branch and Algeciras on the other, the latter being shared by the Central Corridor.
The Comprehensive Network will include railway connections from Seville to Cadiz and Huelva, which will soon be connected via high-speed railway lines, and continue on to the Portuguese border. Malaga will also be connected to the Central and Mediterranean Corridors via the high-speed link to Antequera that is already in place.
As regards the road corridor, the route of the Core Network runs along the coast from the French border to Malaga connecting the afore-mentioned cities and continues to Seville. The road splits in Seville with one branch heading to the Portuguese border via Huelva and the other, shared with the Central Corridor, heading to Algeciras via Cadiz. Furthermore, the Comprehensive Network includes other already existing roads such as the accesses to Granada from Lumbreras and Motril, as well as the link between Malaga, Algeciras and Cadiz.
This will provide access to the Corridor for the seaports of Barcelona, Tarragona, Castellon, Sagunto, Valencia, Alicante, Cartagena, Carboneras, Almeria, Motril, Malaga, Algeciras, Seville, Cadiz and Huelva.
Similarly, there are plans to develop the river corridor along the Guadalquivir to the Port of Seville. This will strengthen the multimodal and strategic nature of this corridor for freight traffic. It is also the first time that this river corridor has been included in the Trans-European Transport Networks.
Besides connecting the ports, it will also ensure the intermodal nature of the corridor by connecting the large production centres (such as Seat-Martorell and Ford-Almussafes) and establishing various intermodal terminals located at the logistics hubs.
The Ministry of Public Works has committed to the core axis becoming fully operational by 2020.

The Central Corridor consists of a multimodal corridor (road and railway) that runs from the French border to Andalusia through the centre of the Iberian Peninsula and five autonomous regions: Catalonia, Aragon, Madrid, Castile-La Mancha and Andalusia.
The corridor also plans to develop a high-capacity connection from the Port of Algeciras to the centre of the EU (in addition to that provided by the Mediterranean Corridor), thus extending its area of influence. This will encourage railway traffic between Algeciras, the centre of Spain and the rest of Europe.
The route travels from Algeciras and Seville to Antequera and Cordoba through the autonomous regions of Castile-La Mancha, Madrid and Aragon. From Zaragoza, one branch heads towards the French border passing through Lleida, Tarragona, Barcelona and Girona, while another branch heads directly for France through the Central Pyrenees Crossing (TCP).
Of particular note in the comprehensive railway network is the specific connection between Toledo and Jaen via Alcazar de San Juan and Linares.
As regards the route for the road corridor, the Core Network runs from the French border through Girona, Barcelona, Lleida, Zaragoza, Guadalajara, Madrid and Cordoba to Seville, where it splits towards Cadiz and Algeciras on one branch and Huelva and the Portuguese border on the other.
Besides connecting the ports, it will also ensure the intermodal nature of the corridor by connecting the large production centres and establishing various intermodal terminals located at the logistics hubs. Said intermodal terminals are those provided for in the Strategic Plan for the Promotion of Freight Transportation by Rail in Spain (approved by the Ministry of Public Works in 2010): El Far-Emporda, El Valles, El Prat, El Penedes, Zaragoza Plaza, Madrid, Alcazar de San Juan, Linares, Cordoba, Antequera and San Roque.
This will create a multimodal corridor with a high-speed network for passengers and an interoperable network for freight traffic, in other words, lines with international gauge, electrification and ERTMS systems, together with the conclusion of a high-performance road network.

The Atlantic Corridor consists of a multimodal corridor connecting the French border with the main hubs on the Atlantic arch and Portugal.
This corridor is of vital importance for Spain and Europe and will become a strategic connection between south-west Europe and the rest of the continent.
The railway corridor includes a connection from the French border at Irun and the Portuguese border at Fuentes de Oñoro (Salamanca) on the Core Network, which will continue on to the ports of Oporto and Aveiro, as well as a connection with the entire north-western region of Spain.
The corridor will thus connect the cities of Irun, San Sebastian, Vitoria, Burgos, Palencia, Valladolid and Salamanca, and include the following connections:
• With Bilbao via the Basque high-speed line on the Core Network and with Santander on the Comprehensive Network by sharing a section with the Bay of Biscay-Mediterranean Corridor.
• With Santander on the comprehensive network from Palencia.
• With Leon and Asturias, reaching Oviedo and Gijon on the Core Network and Aviles on the Comprehensive Network.
• With Galicia for freight traffic from Leon via Ponferrada, Monforte de Lemos, Ourense, Vigo, Pontevedra, Santiago and A Coruña on the Core Network. The passenger connection with Galicia is included on the Core Network via the Olmedo-Zamora-Ourense-Santiago-A Coruña High-Speed Line and on the Comprehensive Network via the line to Pontevedra and Vigo, as well as the Ourense-Lugo and A Coruña Ferrol connections.
• With Madrid for passengers via Segovia and for freight via Avila.
As regards the road network, the corridor has two separate branches. One runs along the coast and the other further inland. The coastal route runs the length of the Bay of Biscay from Irun to A Coruña, connecting the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. The inland route will provide a connection between Portugal and Europe, and also improve the intermodality of such cities as Burgos, Valladolid, Salamanca and Madrid.
Besides connecting the ports of Pasaia, Bilbao, Santander, Gijon, Aviles, Ferrol, A Coruña and Vigo, it will also ensure the intermodal nature of the corridor by connecting the large production centres and establishing various intermodal terminals located at the logistics hubs. Said intermodal terminals are those provided for in the Strategic Plan for the Promotion of Freight Transportation by Rail in Spain (approved by the Ministry of Public Works in 2010): Lezo, Jundiz, Valladolid, Salamanca, Madrid, Leon, Monforte de Lemos, Vigo PLISAN and A Coruña.
The European Commission has stated that the infrastructures to be included in the Core Network must be completed by 2030. However, the action plan submitted by the Ministry of Public Works to the Commission guarantees they will all be fully operational by 2020.
This will create a multimodal corridor with a high-speed network for passengers of an interoperable nature with another network for freight traffic, in other words, with international gauge lines, electrification and ERTMS systems, together with the conclusion of a high-performance road network.

The Bay of Biscay-Mediterranean Corridor consists of a multimodal corridor (road and railway) that connects the Mediterranean from Valencia and Sagunto to the Bay of Biscay at Bilbao and San Sebastian through the autonomous regions of the Region of Valencia, Aragon, La Rioja, Navarre, the Basque Country and Cantabria. This cross-peninsula connection is a strategic axis for Spain.
This corridor also enables intermodal connection with other corridors, establishing connections with the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Central Corridors.
The Bay of Biscay-Mediterranean Railway Corridor connects the cities of Bilbao, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Zaragoza, Teruel and Valencia on the Core Network for passengers and freight. Furthermore, the Comprehensive Network includes a connection from Zaragoza and the cities of Santander, Bilbao and San Sebastian via Vitoria.
As regards the road corridor, the Core Network will run from Valencia, Teruel, Zaragoza and Logroño to Bilbao, and from there to Santander on one branch and to San Sebastian and the French border on another.
The ports of Valencia, Sagunto, Bilbao, Santander, San Sebastian and Pasaia will also have access to the corridor.
The intermodal nature of the corridor will be guaranteed by connecting the ports and the large production centres, as well as by establishing various intermodal terminals located at the logistics hubs. Said intermodal terminals are as follows: Valencia Fuente de San Luis, Sagunto, Zaragoza Plaza, Tudela, Noain, Lezo and Jundiz.

The Atlantic-Mediterranean Corridor connects (at Valencia) the Mediterranean with the central region of the Iberian Peninsula and the Portuguese border through the autonomous regions of the Region of Valencia, Castile-La Mancha, Madrid and Extremadura to reach Lisbon and the Port of Sines in Portugal.
As a direct consequence, this infrastructure will encourage railway traffic between Spain and Portugal and thus enable the area of influence controlled by the Port of Valencia to be extended, as well as connection of the Mediterranean, Central and Atlantic Corridors through Portugal.
The railway corridor connects the cities of Valencia, Cuenca, Madrid, Merida and Elvas/Badajoz on the Core Network for passengers, while connecting Valencia, Albacete, Alcazar de San Juan, Madrid, Merida and Elvas/Badajoz for freight, partially coinciding with the Central Corridor on the section between Alcazar de San Juan and Madrid.
Furthermore, the Comprehensive Network includes a section between Valencia de Alcantara and Caceres to connect Merida, Puertollano, Ciudad Real, Manzanares and Alcazar de San Juan, as well as a connection between Motilla del Palancar and Albacete.
As regards the road network, the Core Network connects Badajoz, Merida, Madrid and Valencia. The Comprehensive Network also includes other links such as the connection between Badajoz, Ciudad Real and Valencia. The Autovía de La Plata is also included in the Comprehensive Network to connect Extremadura with Andalusia to the south and with Castile and Leon, Asturias, Galicia and the rest of the peninsula to the north.
The Port of Valencia will thus become the main intermodal connection port in the corridor whilst ensuring a connection to the main productions centres, such as Ford-Almussafes, by establishing various intermodal terminals located at the logistics hubs.