THUMBS DOWN FOR RONDA – SAN PEDRO TOLL ROADBy David Eade
Last week the secretary general of PSOE in Málaga, Miguel Ángel Heredia, was calling on the regional government to speed up its planning for the Ronda to San Pedro toll motorway that would reduce travel times from an hour to 20 minutes.
However this week a report has been published by academics and environmentalists that pour cold water on the entire project. The document was produced by professors at the universities of Granada and Málaga, ecologists and the Plataforma Ciudadana por Ortro Mundo Rural Posible.
First it points to environmental issues such as the road will have to cut through the Sierra Bermeja that is a European protected site and is due to become a national park. It will also travel across the chestnut growing areas of the higher Genal valley and the farm lands south of Ronda. There are also fears that it will damage the important aquifer in the Sierra del Oreganal.
Secondly the report looks at the matter of cost. The budget has been set at over 350 million euros but that figure could easily escalate. The authors also believe that in the motorways wake will come urban and industrial development in what is currently protected zones.
The solution says the report is to improve the existing connection to change it from one of the most dangerous road in the province to a safer and speedier route. It also wants to see major improvements to the rail connections between Ronda and Málaga so that trains run with a frequency that eliminates the current need for workers to use their cars.
MAYOR’S COURT DATE
The mayor of Ronda, Antonio Marín, will appear before Ronda’s number one court on October 15 at 10.00 to answer charges in the Los Merinos golf development case. It is alleged that by issuing a town planning licence by decree he illegally authorised the development project which consists of 800 luxury homes, two golf courses, three hotels plus other tourism related facilities. The case dates back to 2007 when Izquierda Unida presented an official complaint to the Málaga prosecutor.
There is wide spread opposition to the development from communities in the area such as Cuevas del Becerro who fear their aquifers will be depleted by the golf project which has no water resources of its own and environmentalists who also deplore the damage to the protected natural zone. Currently the construction is on hold due to the economic crisis but the company behind the scheme has continued to make all the required stage payments to the town hall as agreed in its planning accord.
Meanwhile the mayor declared at a recent council meeting that on three occasions neo-Nazis had attacked his house with paint and tomatoes. He was answering criticism from the Partido Popular’s José Herrera who criticised him having a local police escort during the feria – “it is the first time the mayor of Ronda has gone on to the street with an escort”. Marín asked the PP to lessen its attacks on him so as not to fuel far-right attacks.
NO RONDA TRAINS FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS
The railway line around Ronda has been undergoing round the clock improvements for many months to allow for its electrification and to pave the way for the AVE high speed service. Now the railway infrastructure company, Adif, has announced that the Ronda railway line will close for three months – although it could take up to six – as the crews move down the track towards Cortes de la Frontera.
Whilst work in the Ronda area has allowed commuter, Madrid and freight services to remain running the starting of the works between Ronda and San Pablo de Buceite sees the crews having to tackle very difficult terrain. The area is very mountainous with numerous tunnels so the technicians have opted to close the line
This will mean the suspension of the Bobadilla - Ronda - Algeciras commuter line as well as the twice daily service to Madrid. An alternative bus service will be set up to transport travellers and those wishing to go to Madrid will be taken to Málaga or Bobadilla for the AVE connection.
The freight trains will also be affected, so containers will be transported by road to Sevilla or Córdoba for further rail transportation. However the move has been welcomed by both Algeciras port and the heavy industry in the bay. Currently only one or two per cent of Spain’s freight goes by rail compared with 70 per cent in wider Europe. The APBA says the electrification of the line and doubling of the track for the future AVE service is “magnificent news”.
Work will start around October 25 or 26. Cádiz MP, Salvador de la Encina, who is also the spokesperson for the Comisión de Infraestructuras in Congress, stated that a report on the project’s progress will be given around December 20. The upgrade of the 160-kilometre section will be carried out on a 24 hours a day basis but it could be extended from three to six months depending on progress.
DRY SALITRE
The president of the Partido Popular in Algatocín, José Manuel López, has protested at the serious deficiencies in the water supply of Salitre which is four kilometres from the village. Over 200 people live there and López states that there is no water supply to even run a washing machine. He says that the residents have been demanding action for over a year and they have to go to a fountain for drinking water – a situation that should not exist in the 21 st century.
PAZ DISPUTE
Ronda has decided to move the day of its patron, Virgen de la Paz, from January 24 to September 2 incorporating it into the Pedro Romero fair giving it a two-day public holiday. The move was made because of the bad weather in January which prevents the valuable image being paraded. The mayor declared it would benefit all and if the experiment does not work out it can always be changed but the PP opposes the move. The Virgen de la Paz is the honorary mayor of Ronda but wasn’t consulted.
STREET WISE
A Partido Andalucista committee member in Ronda, Daniel Harillo was barred from holding a press conference at the town hall on the basis he had no right to be there. Instead he spoke to the media in the street. The PA until recently controlled the municipality but after the mayor and its councillors abandoned the party and became socialists it has no representation.
GAS ESCAPE
The fire brigade evacuated 20 people from the Asprodisis handicapped people’s centre in Ronda after natural gas escaped from a broken pipe. The accident happened last Wednesday morning when a heavy earth mover broke the pipe whilst carrying out work to improve the drainage. A key was used to cut the supply until technicians from the gas company arrived to repair the main.
TOURISM AMBASSADOR
Ronda held its gala in honour of the tourist last Friday with celebrations at the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones in the former Santo Domingo convent. During the evening it was announced that a new role would be created of ambassador of Ronda to promote the town to the world. The first holder of the post is Bartolomé Nieto, director of the municipal museum.
TAXI SMS
Ronda’s citizen participation councillor, Francisco Cañestro, has launched a service whereby handicapped people can request a taxi by sending an SMS text message. To use the 24-hour system a person must first send the word ASSER to 670 207 438. Ronda is also spending 18,000 euros on removing street barriers which inhibit the movement of the handicapped – 10 per cent of the population.
ILLEGAL MEAT
Guardia Civil and National Police have carried out an operation leading to the raiding of a warehouse in Arriate with two arrests after a farmer reported their activities. It is alleged that the duo were part of an operation that have stolen livestock from some 30 Serranía farms which were then illicitly slaughtered and the meat illegally sold in Sevilla and Cádiz markets.
FREE LICENCE
Cuevas del Becerro in association with the small farmers association (UPA) has started a scheme whereby agricultural workers, largely women, can qualify for their driving licence free of charge. Around 18 women in the village will benefit and their average age is 30 years. The scheme gives them the theory instruction plus 15 driving lessons but they have to pay for additional classes.
LIGHT WORK
Ronda’s rural community at La Indiana can see better at night thanks to a 20,000 euros investment in upgrading the three areas of street lighting in the zone. The work follows much pressure from local residents and the inauguration was attended by the mayor and Francisco Cañestro the councillor involved. Similar improvements are to be carried out at La Cimada and Los Prados.
