The Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, José Antonio Santano, has presided over the signing today of a protocol for railway reorganization that will allow the elimination of three steps at the level in the municipalities of Reinosa and Campoo de Enmedio and adapt the railway infrastructure for the arrival of the high-speed line to Reinosa.
The protocol has been initialled by the President of Adif, Pedro Marco, the Councillor for Development of the Government of Cantabria, Roberto Media, the Mayor of Reinosa, José Luis López Vielba and the Mayor of Campoo de Enmedio, Pedro Manuel Martínez, who are committed to the development of the necessary actions in relation to the adaptation of the Reinosa station to the new traffic foreseen with the arrival of the high speed and the need to eliminate the level crossings in the municipality of Reinosa.
The Secretary of State, in his speech, stressed that the signing of this protocol “represents another step in an essential project for Cantabria, such as the connection of High Speed with Palencia” in particular, referred to the stretch between Nogales and Reinosa, which will have an investment of more than 800 million euros and will represent an essential change for the mobility of citizens.
Thus, the signing of the protocol becomes “an example of how a megaproject integrates in the territory with dialogue, collaboration and sum of efforts”.
The Secretary of State has announced that, in order to ensure the achievement of the objectives set out in the protocol, a Follow-up Commission will be created consisting of two representatives from each of the signatory institutions.
The protocol
The protocol states that Adif will carry out the necessary preliminary studies in order, in coordination with the parties, to develop the best overall solution - specified in the corresponding projects and works - aimed at eliminating the steps at the level located at kilometre points 425/435 (Avd. Castilla), 426/396 (Calle Juliobriga) and 427/102 (Calle Barcenilla) of the Palence-Santander line.
The adequacy of the Reinosa station, passenger building and Río Ebro roadhouse, maintenance base, tracks, platforms and electrification will also be studied for the needs of the new traffic derived from the connection with the new High Speed Line between Los Nogales and Reinosa.
The studies will include the analysis of the suppression of all steps at the existing level, with the aim of improving safety and road and pedestrian permeability in the municipalities of Reinosa and Campoo in between.
For its part, the Government of Cantabria will study the feasibility and, where appropriate, will be responsible for designing and building dissuasive car parks in the vicinity of the Reinosa station to contribute to the modal transfer between private vehicle and rail, increasing environmental sustainability and mobility in the region. It will also collaborate in the necessary rearrangement for the road connection of these dissuasive car parks to the Reinosa station to allow better accessibility and intermodal mobility.
It also undertakes to draft, approve and process the construction projects and to carry out the works to improve the bridge over the Hijar River, which connects Campoo de Enmedio with Reinosa, in order to provide it with a sufficient section to allow simultaneous circulation in both directions.
The City of Reinosa, for its part, will analyze the proposals for the suppression of the three steps at the level currently located in the municipal term, facilitate the normal development of the works, as well as the availability, prior to the start of the works of suppression, of the lands and roads that are necessary for its execution. It will also collaborate in the urban reorganization that is more convenient to enhance the use of the Reinosa station with its new configuration and features, improving the accessibility and mobility of railway users.
Finally, the City of Campoo de Enmedio will facilitate the development of the works, as well as the availability, prior to the start of the works of suppression of steps at level and of the rest of the actions, of the lands and roads, which are necessary for their execution.
Outstretched hand of the Government Delegate
For his part, the government delegate in Cantabria, Pedro Casares, said that “today is an important day for the region of Campoo, but also, above all, for the whole of Cantabria”.
With the signing of this protocol of action between the Government of Cantabria, ADIF and the municipalities for the railway reorganization that allows the suppression of the level crossings and the adaptation of the arrival of the High Speed, said Casares, “we take another step to make a reality one of the most important projects in terms of infrastructure for Cantabria”.
Casares said that the arrival of High Speed in Reinosa and Cantabria “is no longer a dream shared by most of the Cantabrians but a project that moves forward with pace to become a reality”
“When we start talking about deadlines, when agreements are signed, we not only see progress, but we show that there is a Spanish Government that is committed, that invests and that complies with Cantabria,” he said.
In this regard, the government delegate recalled that the Government of Spain, with Pedro Sánchez, has mobilized more than 7 billion euros to make reality all the great demands of Cantabria in terms of infrastructures “that are making today the largest volume of public work of the State in our autonomous community”.
In the same way, Casares wanted to highlight that “cooperation, joint and shared work between administrations, between institutions, always makes better progress to society”
“It will take us longer to agree, to decide the paths, the decisions, but I am convinced that dialogue, understanding and agreement will always take us further,” he said.
Therefore, in her first public act with the president of Cantabria, she has extended her hand “so that we work together always putting the general interest of our land and the welfare and opportunities of the Cantabrians above any other interest”.
“There are many problems to which we can give a joint response and work loyally, responsibly and effectively to do it together not only in infrastructure but also in other important matters for this land such as the financing of public services or housing,” he said.
Finally, Pedro Casares highlighted the elimination of steps at the level, “which improve the security of the citizens, of the neighbors of Reinosa and of Campoo de En medio”.
“Although it always tends to focus on big projects and big investments, they are small actions like that elimination of level steps, which change and improve people’s daily lives. Let us leave you with the signing of an action protocol that is another example of the firm commitment of the Government of Spain to Cantabria, which we check every week in the councils of ministers,” he concluded.