The A-7 enigma

Costa de Almería

ALMERIA - THE Partido Popular in Almeria and other affected areas are demanding that the government continue the work on the A-7 between Almeria and Malaga. There are still some 50 kilometres of the project left to complete, mainly between Adra and Nerja, a road which, when completed, will have a major impact on business in the two provinces and will make the journey between the two a mere 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, the stretch between Almuñecar and Salobreña, which should have been up and running this year, is still in the first phase of work.

Afraid that government cutbacks announced by the Ministry of Public Works will affect this project, PP leaders in the area have signed a manifesto to demand that it go ahead and denounce the fact that the motorway was initially promised for 2009. Now, they will be lucky if it’s ready to use in 2011.

On the other hand, the Secretary General of the PSOE, Miguel Angel Heredia, has said that it is thanks to the socialists that the project has even gone ahead, as the Partido Popular had not even put the plans to connect Almeria and Malaga into place. He also said that considering the difficulties faced by the Ministry of Public Works, the fact that the project is more than 70 per cent completed, should be applauded, not criticized by the opposition.

The work is estimated at 926.56 million euros, possibly one of the most costly and complex projects which has been carried out in Spain.

The difficulty of the terrain means that there are numerous tunnels and viaducts in the road, all of which need to be carried out perfectly to avoid danger in the future. It also runs through protected areas which needed to be respected.

Only time will tell when the full 85 kilometres of road will be completed.