The central government’s representative in Granada province, José Antonio Montilla, has opened the door to the possibility of a coastal train from Nerja to Motril. In response to discussions regarding a train service along the Costa del Sol between Estepona and Nerja in neighbouring Granada, local authorities and businessmen have been putting additional pressure on the government.

The revision of the Plan de Ordenación del Territorio de Andalucía (POTA), a strategic document in which the Andalusian regional government includes the necessary infrastructures for the future development of the region, includes a train that goes from Cádiz to Nerja.

Granada has fought to connect its coast for decades, as it is one of only a few Spanish coastal areas without a railway system. Now, it wants to take the POTA train and extend it to Motril.

Costa Tropical businessmen demanded inclusion of the extension of the coastal rail to Motril by the Andalusian Regional government. The regional government, however, has stated that the project will be significantly more expensive due to the complexity along the coast. The regional government also says that this project is under the jurisdiction of the central government in Spain, which would be required to study and fund the project. The initial estimate for the Nerja section is 6.7 billion Euros.

Montilla responded to the Junta de Andalucía’s points by saying: “I don’t think it is very serious to put forward a proposal on the condition that the government pays for it. It’s not the right way to handle a situation like this.”

Mayor of Albuñol, María José Sánchez, explained that the socialist PSOE party, which is the party in government in Spain, considers that a train that runs along the coast “would be a good idea and a project that would benefit the whole region” and “would be an engine of economic and social development for the region”.

She did, however, consider that “in the world of politics one must be serious and rigourous. And when making a proposal such as this you must have a plan to follow to achieve your objective”. She also added that all projects which she believes can increase the well-being of the residents are under the responsibility of the socialist representatives.

Mayor of Almuñécar, Juan José Ruiz Joya, said that the train is something that people have been calling for “for a long time” and added, “It is a shame that the coastal train stayed in the province of Malaga, more specifically in Nerja and could not access Almuñécar, as well as Motril, which is a port of national interest.”

Ruiz Joya said that Almuñécar town hall will support any initiative aimed at achieving the extension of the train and that it will use “all the resources that the law gives us and all the possible administrative mechanisms to exert the necessary pressure”.

Francisco Trujillo said that greater travel ease translates to “more business, more activity and more dynamism”. He believes that this project will be a major leap forward in economic and socio-economic development.

Motril’s port would benefit the most. Its president, José García Fuentes pointed out that the initiative would “greatly improve” transport and the connection with the Costa del Sol and with the entire coastal corridor.