This news was posted by Guaix and we brought it thanks to the Creative Commons license.

The Ministry of Development has already made public the proposals for the new High-Speed Train (TAV) route that will pass through Sakana on 10 p.m. last year. He put on the table two proposals for connecting the Navarre corridor of the TAV with the Basque Y. One of them links Pamplona and Vitoria along the Sakana (Alternative V, with a budget of EUR 850 million, without taking into account the entrance to Vitoria-Gasteiz). The other would connect via a route between Pamplona and Ezkio Altsasu (Alternative H, with a budget of 2.4 billion). In addition, the Government of Navarra's proposal should be added at the time of the allegations: Connection with a tour between Pamplona and Ezkio Bakaiku.

In favour of the Sakana Train, not the TAV! The platform will convene three demands tomorrow: “Paralyze the works and procedures of the TAV, improve the current way and analyze other alternatives, performing the necessary analysis”. Having made the results of this study available to the public, they have called for “consultation and respect for the decision to be taken”.

As Martin Zelaia reminded us of the platform, the Sakandarras submitted 2,733 allegations to the ministry’s projects. The allegations are being examined by the Ministry. “You’ll have to make a decision: make an alternative or do nothing. Its alternative could be presented soon”. That is why they have called for mobilisation: “It seems to us an important moment to call the demonstration and for the whole of Sakana to say that it does not want the TAV, but to improve, modernize and launch the train we have.”

Effects

The members of the platform stated last Monday that “these TAV projects have no benefit to our valley, either economic, social, or environmental.” Referring to the environmental study of the Ministry of Development, they pointed out that “the valley will become a disstructured territory due to the large slopes, tunnels and large viaducts (500 meters in Izurdiaga and Olazagutia). As a result of the land that would move in the works, landfills of more than 150 football fields will be generated.”

In Beriain’s skirts, “large and long concrete floors would be built to advance or stop trains.” From the platform it was recalled that, according to the proposals, a double track with a maximum width of between 40 and 150 meters would be built. The construction of two electrical substations in Lakuntza and Etxarri Aranatz should incorporate new lines and other ancillary infrastructure.

From the platform they have added that the implementation of the APR project would also have other effects: Between Aralar and Urbasa Andía “a serious barrier effect for fauna, as well as for farm pastures of farmers and livestock, tourism or industry”. Platform members assured that “the TAV project only covers a small part of society’s mobility needs: long journeys between big cities. It does not favor connections between towns, cities and industrial sites, because they have no connection with this transport system and, in some cases, lose those they have, as would happen in Alsasua.” They have pointed out that the TAV is not used for the transport of goods. "The goods and commuter trains will continue in the normal way. That has been said by the governments. So why do we need, for example, a TAV that will link Pamplona with Zaragoza?” asked Zelaia, “the current train already connects”.

Alternative

The members of the platform have defended the alternative of the social train in the motto of the demonstration: Renewal and modernisation of existing railway infrastructure. A union of towns, cities and industries. Transporter of persons and goods. Whatever is accessible to anyone and without the regions that are excluded”. Your proposal is to install a double track on the current railway platform. They also warned that there is room for this and that these lands are in the hands of Renfe. Moreover, they added that the implementation of a third rail on the railways would allow the circulation of trains of international width. They warned that the alternative proposed by them would be “less costly” and added that “we must allocate resources to sustainable projects, which do not exclude anyone and respect the environment”.

Zelaia explained that with this option “we would be enough for Sakana and Navarra”. And he puts forward his proposal: “On both tracks you have to put more trains than the existing ones and expand all existing stations and stops. We need rail mobility in all towns and counties. We must strengthen the train we currently have for freight transport.” Zelaia has denounced that “they have done absolutely nothing about the possibility they pose. We have to look at all the alternatives that we have. Put all the alternatives in front of people and let people decide.” The platform calls for the latter to be consulted and for the decision to be taken through it to be respected. “That’s a challenge for us. In this decision you can do anything: The TAV or the social train that we think. We believe that there is decision-making power in the people, and that it has to be the last decision.” The survey should be carried out in the provinces where the project is to be developed.

Europe

The delegation of Alaveses and Sakandeses opposed to the Ministry of Development was in the European Union on 6 and 7 February in Brussels. At the meeting of the European Transport Commission in Brussels, three of the ideas put forward at the meeting were highlighted. First of all, “the high-speed trains planned in our territory will only be carried by travellers, as the goods will be carried on the train as usual, without any improvement”. The following idea: “The European Union is going to cut back on the aid it has hitherto granted for the construction of the APR, because of the excess it is supposing in public spending.” And the idea that follows: “They recognized that the cost-effectiveness reports that have been taken into account in the decision to build the APR cannot be made public. This therefore confirms that the data in these reports are manipulated upwards, as the TAV will not bring enough travellers into our territories to ensure their profitability.”

Members of the platform recalled that “the European Commission itself has also started to criticise high-speed lines, for their high costs, for lower speeds than expected, for offline procedures, etc.”. They add that the report drawn up by the European Court of Auditors confirms the above: “denounces the construction of these high-speed lines without conducting economic and social feasibility studies, as well as their excessive economic expenditure.” The conveners of the demonstration recalled that the Tribunal “strongly recommends that the railway network be structured using existing infrastructure and renovating traditional lines, and not building new lines.”

The conveners of the demonstration explained that “for all these reasons, it is understandable that in Europe there are countries that do not have a kilometre TAV (Sweden, the United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, Portugal or Ireland) and that already have countries (France or Germany) that do not build more”. According to them, Spain is “the country with the most kilometers of high-speed per inhabitant and the one that uses the least proportion. Although at high speed only 8% of the trips are made, much more investments are made compared to the conventional train, which in many cases is in a painful situation”.

On the course of mobilisation

The demonstration will be on its regular tour of Alsasua tomorrow. Although its beginning is different, it will go up Gartzia Ximenez Street and at the height of the Garbikoki building it will turn left through the streets Paz and Frontones to pass through Zumalakarrangi Square. From there, they will pass through Nafarroa Street towards San Juan Street, to dismiss the mobilization in the Plaza de los Fueros.

As the callers have reported, during the tour there will be fanfare, mythological characters, zanpantzarrak, giants and heads, batukada and others. “We will express our satisfaction. Because we hear more and more voices calling for the cessation of the TAV: societies, policies and collective unions, supported by numerous official bodies that analyze the social and economic reality of the territory, such as the Chamber of Comptes of Navarra, the European Court of Auditors, the FEDEA Foundation, researchers and university experts…”

Accessions

ELA, LAB, CGT, Adif Department of CGT, STEILAS, ESK, EHNE, Sakana Feminist Movement, Belardi, 14 municipalities of Sakana (all but Altsasu), I-E, Subai Erakuntza, AHT Gelditu!