The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has awarded a contract for 15.25 million euros (including VAT) for the drafting of the project for the layout of the platform of the last section of the High-Speed Line (LAV) Palencia-Santander, between Alar del Rey and Reinosa, with which the high speed will reach Cantabria, and which includes the refurbishment of the Aguilar de Campoo station.
The action, executed through Adif, is thus in the stage before tendering the works that, according to the informative study, will involve an investment of 800 million euros, an amount that demonstrates the dimension of this action.
The project will define the actions to build the 44.4 km high-speed track platform, which will house double standard gauge tracks throughout the route, and the one-way access to Aguilar de Campoo (7 km). Also the adaptation of the station to high-speed services and the increase of passengers.
This last stretch of the high-speed line will run from Alar del Rey, at the end of the five currently under construction, to Reinosa, from where it will connect with Santander through the conventional network, which is renewed and, in some sections, doubled. To do this, a track gauge changer will be installed in the Matamorosa environment.
Three subsections between Alar del Rey and Reinosa
The project of this high-speed route is structured in three subsections:
1. The first comprises the route between Alar del Rey and Aguilar de Campoo (14 km) and its wording has been awarded to the temporary union of companies (UTE) formed by Center for Materials Studies and Control of Works, Consultrans and Systra Subterra Engineering.
2. The second, that of the Aguilar de Campoo-Mataporquera route (11.5 km) and the baipás de Aguilar de Campoo (7 km), will be written by the UTE WSP Spain and TRN Táryet;
3. And the third, that of the Mataporquera-Reinosa stretch (18.9 km), the UTE integrated by TPF Getinsa Euroestudios and Geocontrol.
This completes the LAV with Cantabria
The Ministry gives a decisive boost to the LAV Palencia-Santander, in which it invests 1.7 billion euros to communicate high-speed Cantabria with the center and the rest of the country, strengthening the reliability and capacity of the infrastructure and reducing travel times.
The wording of this now awarded project is addressed while the construction of the other five sections of the line is progressing, which add up to 78.4 km with an investment of 386.3 million euros (VAT included):
- Palencia–Palencia Norte (1.3 km), with an investment of 26.9 million euros.
- Palencia Norte-Amusco (20.8 km), with an investment of 77.3 million euros.
- Amusco-Osorno (21.9 km), with an investment of 79.3 million euros.
- Osorno-Calsalvo de Boedo (20.7 km), with an investment of 93.5 million euros.
- and Calsalvo de Boedo-Alar del Rey (13.7 km), with an investment of 109.3 million euros.
Project to advance the connection of Nogales
At the same time, the Nogales connection is also being promoted, which will allow Cantabria’s high-speed communication to be advanced by three years.
It is a 3.2 km link, at the height of the Palentine town of Nogales de Pisuerga that, once the route of the LAV currently under construction is completed, allows it to be put into service by connecting it with the conventional line to continue along it the route to the Cantabrian capital, while the Alar del Rey-Reinosa route is built, from which the project is now awarded.
This action contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 9 (infrastructure, reliable, sustainable and quality), 7 (sustainability) and 8 (economic growth and job creation.
European funding
This action may be co-financed by the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).