The Chamber of Faro unanimously approved a demonstration of institutional support for the advancement of the high-speed railway (TGV) line between Faro, Huelva and Seville, in a Chamber meeting on the 23rd of March.
As reasons that justify the approval of this expression of support, the municipality highlights «the historical, commercial and emotional ties that unite the two regions and the geographical locations of the Algarve and Andalusia in relation to the European economic center, which puts them in a favorable position to establish links between Europe and Africa and Latin America».
Furthermore, the municipality speaks of the “need for this infrastructure to consolidate and monitor its development, alongside the existing hotel and industrial equipment, allowing a cross-border connection that currently does not exist and which, with its high speed, will be the engine and impetus for growth , were some of the reasons that justified the approval of this demonstration of support from the Faro municipality».
Likewise, the executive says he took into account “that this is not just a demand from governance, but also from businesspeople and social agents in the two regions and that, as the European Union's priority is the territorial cohesion of the regions, in particular the peripherals, a project for a high-speed line that connects Faro, Huelva and Seville must count on the political and financial support of the European Union. In fact, the existence of important lines of support from the community authorities represents a unique and, perhaps historic, opportunity that should not be wasted, in order to access the necessary funds to carry out this project».
On the 14th of February It had already been news that the Municipality of Faro joined together with the Ayuntamientos of Huelva and Seville (Spain) to demand a high-speed rail link that connects these three cities.
At that time, the president of the Chamber of Faro Rogério Bacalhau, the alcaldesa of Huelva Pilar Miranda and the alcaldesa of Seville José Luis Sanz signed a manifesto, in which they urge national and community authorities to commit to the development of this railway corridor between the Algarve and Andalusia (Spain), defending the its inclusion as a priority work in the Trans-European Transport Network and allocation of the necessary funds to begin preliminary work.
According to the document signed by the three responsible, «high speed served for the economic development of cities and regions that, thanks to a modern railway network, registered notable growth».
In this sense, the manifesto states, the Algarve and Andalusia are two territories that «lack a railway infrastructure that allows them to consolidate growth that makes it easier for them to reach levels of activity that enhance their resources and conditions, not only natural, but also the its hotel and industrial infrastructures».
«The rail link between the Algarve and Andalusia through a high-speed line that connects Faro with Huelva and Seville would be a milestone in the connectivity between two territories called to be protagonists, which share the desire to integrate into Europe's major railway routes", he also states, adding that, "despite the considerable improvement of the road network in recent years , the lack of a cross-border railway network becomes a handicap for the logistical development of the territory, as well as for passenger transport in two areas with a tourist vocation.
For Rogério Bacalhau, president of Faro, this is an investment in the future that can «change the face of our regions»: «The creation of an Atlantic rail corridor, which places the Algarve Line in communication with the rest of the architecture of the Spanish rail network, will allow efficient mobility and rapid transport of passengers and goods, but it also promotes territorial cohesion and regional and cross-border social and economic development», highlighted the Mayor.
Rogério Bacalhau also adds that this project can help bring the Algarve and Andalusia closer to the European economic center, while «it also allows important steps to be taken to achieve environmental decarbonization goals».
The Farense mayor also highlighted that «this is a unique and perhaps unrepeatable moment to move this project forward, demanding the necessary funds from Governments and the European Union to do so».
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