Projects: Ferrocarril del Somontano
With the liberalization of the railway market in Spain, Smart Regional Infrastructures is involved in the development of various short and medium-length regional railway projects. This section explains specifically the Ferrocarril del Somontano - Barbastro (FSB).
The project explores the development of the Barbastro-Zaragoza and Barbastro-Lleida-Barcelona railway lines, through the recovery of the railway section from Barbastro to Selgua-Monzón, and the circulation of advanced railway equipment.
The area
Barbastro is the head of a large area formed with the Somontano de Barbastro region and its environs. Since 1880 it was connected to the National Railway Network, but in 1969 the service was suspended and today the nearest active connection point with the line, which connects with Zaragoza and Lleida-Barcelona, is located in Selgua, 20 kilometers away.
The center-east region of the province of Huesca, the area where Barbastro is located, continues to be today a relevant pole of human activity, with industrial and agricultural production and tourism capacities, among others. It is an especially resilient area of a sparsely populated province and strongly affected by depopulation in a rural environment.
It is a regional area, located between the two most important urban zones in Spain, Madrid and Barcelona, cities from which it is about 250 kilometers in opposite directions. Due to its characteristics, good equipment and public services, excellent quality of life and low prices, the area will be a future pole of attraction for people looking to telework or retire in good conditions, and for professional development, as for small and medium-sized businesses.
The infrastructure
At the beginning of this century, the Government of Aragon became aware of the need to recover some key infrastructures of its regional routes schema, and order to the engineering INECO to carry out a complete study for the rehabilitation of the Barbastro-Selgua railway line, and the commissioning of a link service between both towns.
In 2003 this report was presented, which includes, among other works, a detailed technical diagnosis of the railway section, an analysis of the possible demand of travelers on the line, a complete economic evaluation and profitability analysis, as well as detailed plans of the route and connection possibilities with the National Railway Network.
The studies concluded that, although the operation would be economically viable, and the recovery of the route possible, the investment in infrastructure could only be assumed by the public sector, since its cost could not be amortized by a private infrastructure concessionaire. The latter relegated the achievement of the project without a date.
Current situation
Given the excellent capacities of the area, as a pole of attraction for relocation and development, Smart Regional Infrastructures has launched the Project Ferrocarril del Somontano - Barbastro (FSB), within the new scenario around the liberalization of the railway market, and the plan of Spanish Government and European aid for regional consolidation.
The following areas are currently being specifically developed:
Railway market
The current liberalization of the market, unlike the previous scenario, allows the development of connection routes with the network main points: Zaragoza and Lleida-Barcelona, so the horizons of development are extended beyond the scope of the region. FSB is working with private regional operators these possible scenarios.
Environmental impact
Beyond the development of the infrastructure, the operation of the new network, as well as its links, requires mobile equipment in accordance with current regulations on environmental impact. For this reason, FSB is in talks with different railway mobile equipment constructors for the incorporation of zero-emission traction to the routes.
Socio-economic impact
The social and economic realities of the area are different today than those shown in the 2003 feasibility study of the Government of Aragon. The current post-pandemic scenario offers new approaches and also expands opportunities as a pole of attraction for new models of life and work, as well as for out-of-cities entrepreneurship.
Freight transport
The original INECO study, while mentioning it, did not quantify the possibilities of the rail freight market. Currently there is a greater attraction in this area, given the market liberalization scenario and the implementation of government aid to transport originating in developing regions.