Valença, Portugal, July 2, 2024 (Lusa) - The leaders of Galicia and the northern region of Portugal on Tuesday made a commitment from both regions to have the high-speed train by 2032, with "no excuse" for delays from central governments.
"This is a strategic objective for the territory, so there is no excuse for any delay or any doubt. We believe that this time has to be the definitive one," the president of the Galician regional government, Alfonso Rueda, told reporters after signing a joint declaration with the Northern Portugal Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N) in Valença (Viana do Castelo).
The two organisations said that the high-speed rail link between Porto and Vigo, with connections to Lisbon, Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña, is "an obvious priority".
The CCDR-N and the Xunta de Galicia point out that the studies carried out on the high-speed rail link show "indisputable data" on its potential for use and profitability, requiring a budget, a realistic timetable to achieve it within the planned deadlines and "a complete programme of actions, investments and stages for the link, with priority given to the exit south of Vigo".
According to Alfonso Rueda, the signing of the declaration "is a bit of a safety net so that there is no backtracking" and a way of emphasising that "not a minute can be wasted" on the project.
"It's a difficult deadline to meet," he recognised, saying that "if the movement doesn't start now, it [meeting the 2032 deadline] will be impossible". "I'm suspicious but I want to recognise that this time things will get done," he added.
The president of the CCDR-N, António Cunha, stressed that "there is absolutely no doubt" about the Portuguese government's commitments, but asked that this process "be very consolidated and almost armoured".
"All of this requires very systematic work that has to be reinforced and that has to be even more careful than it has been in order for us to understand and be sure that these deadlines are going to be met," he stressed.
Regarding the joint declaration that was signed, António Cunha acknowledged that it was "based on evidence that over 20 years [...] this issue has been on the agenda of both governments since the Iberian summit in Figueira da Foz in 2003".
"Over the course of 20 years, we've always had a slippage that has outlived many governments. So what we're asking this government to do is to make an additional effort and even to tie a knot on top of this, so that the thing is tied up tightly and can't get out and can be consummated," he pointed out.
On 23 May, after a brief meeting with the president of the regional government of Galicia, the minister of infrastructure said that the government remains committed to the high-speed rail link between Lisbon and Vigo, as well as Madrid.
The link from Porto to Vigo in Galicia, which is being developed in parallel with the high-speed line between Porto and Lisbon, includes stations at Porto airport, Braga, Ponte de Lima and Valença (Viana do Castelo district).
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