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Diari de Catalunya

PSC and ERC Reach Agreement to Boost Orbital Train and Investment Company

Republicans and socialists agree on the construction of a new railway line and the creation of a commercial entity to manage pending state investments in Catalonia.

Generic image of a modern train track in a green landscape under a blue sky.
IA

Generic image of a modern train track in a green landscape under a blue sky.

The Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC) and the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) have reached an agreement to promote the orbital train project and establish a commercial company to manage pending state investments in Catalonia, within the framework of budget negotiations.

This pact, which is being finalized, includes the creation of a commercial company to execute State investments in Catalonia, after a previous consortium proposal was rejected in the Congress of Deputies. This new entity will allow progress through an agreement between the Spanish government and the Generalitat, without the need for parliamentary approval.
The orbital train project, a railway network around the Barcelona metropolitan area, would connect cities such as Vilanova i la Geltrú, Vilafranca del Penedès, Granollers, and Mataró. This infrastructure, debated for decades, foresees 39 stations, 23 of which would be new constructions, with an estimated cost of between 4,000 and 5,000 million euros, mostly financed by the State.
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"The orbital train is an essential response to the critical situation of the railway in our country."

the president of ERC
The orbital line would be integrated into Barcelona's Rodalies Renfe network, aiming to improve connectivity between intermediate cities and promote rail transport over private vehicles. This project, previously proposed, is now considered a priority for mobility in the second metropolitan ring.
Regarding regional financing, although IRPF collection is no longer a sine qua non condition for ERC, the Spanish government plans to promote a new model that would provide an additional 4,700 million euros to Catalonia. This proposal will be included in the 2027 regulatory plan and will be discussed with the autonomous communities after the Andalusian elections on May 17.

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