The steps of the Pyrenees are close to collapse
- 09 October 2002
Steps of the Pyrenees are close to collapse
The current rate of growth of road traffic between Spain and France will cause major problems in road networks of the two countries in a few years
According to the Hispano-French Traffic Observatory in the Pyrenees, over the past decade the road captured the 82% increase freight between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe
Madrid, October 9 2002.- In the last ten years have almost doubled trade in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) with the rest of the European Community, with the road mode that has absorbed most of this growth, 80%.
If this trend continues-and everything indicates that, at least, mantendrá-, the steps of the Pyrenees will be collapsed within a few years. In this disturbing conclusion comes a recent report by the Hispano-French Traffic Observatory in the Pyrenees (OTP), a body created from the resolutions adopted at the Summit of La Rochelle (1998) between the Ministry of Development of Spain and the Ministère Equipement des Transports de l'et du Logement de France.
Over the years 1991 to 2000, the volume of goods transported between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe has been increased in all modes: the road in a 140%, shipping one 41% and railway one 32%. In this context, the road appears as the dominant mode, with 52% of the market share, while shipping owns 43%, and the remaining rail 5%.
Also in the year 2000 crossed the Pyrenean border, by its different steps, some heavy vehicles a day 17.000, 6.000 more than those who transited between France and Switzerland to Italy through the Alps.
The peninsular regions that generate increased traffic of goods by road to France are Catalonia and the Basque Country, followed by Valencia and Andalusia. On the French side, are the Pyrenean regions (Aquitaine, Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrenees) from which comes most freight traffic from road to the Iberian Peninsula and the islands of France, Rhone-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
Also, many European regions generate movement of goods by road to the Iberian Peninsula through France as the German Westphalia, Baden-Würtemberg and Bavaria, and the regions of Northern Italy.
From Spain, exchanges of goods to the rest of Europe by the Pyrenees border tend to be destined Westphalia, Lombardy, Baden-Würtemberg, Britain and regions of the Netherlands and Belgium.
Currently, there are six road routes through the Pyrenees customarily used by heavy vehicles:
Donostia - San Sebastián - Irun (A-8) / Hendaye (Biriatou) - Bayonne (A-63)
Pamplona - Roncesvalles (N-135) / St. Jean Pied-de-Port - Orthez (D-933)
Huesca - Somport (N-330) / Somport - Pau (N-134)
Lleida - Vielha (N-230) / Fos - MONTREJEAU (N-125)
Barcelona - Puigcerdà (A-18 + C-N-16 260 +) / Bourg-Madame - Toulouse (N-20)
Barcelona - La Jonquera (A-7) / Le Boulou - Perpignan (A-9)
However, more than 90% of transpirenaico traffic is concentrated in the two coastal steps, Irun and La Junquera, irrelevant traffic currently channeled through the rest of Pyrenean interior steps.
In its three years of operation, the Hispano-French Traffic Observatory in the Pyrenees could therefore confirm the dominant role of the road in trade relations on both sides of the Pyrenean mountains and stagnant freight traffic through of the rail and maritime modes.
The most optimistic forecasts bilateral body point to a similar to that recorded in the last nine years, during which the road mode has captured evolution the 82% of the growth in trade, shipping mode the 16% and rail the 2% .
Moreover, in the next two decades and in the context of an enlarged European Union, it is expected doubling the volume of goods transported and, therefore, be a need to redistribute between 100 and 120 million additional tons.
"Road to a new geography. The integration of a single European space"
With this motto, Week XXIV Road, V National Highway, deepen, the next 14 18 to October in Pamplona (Navarra), in the matters described above.
arrived experts from around the country, and technicians from France, Portugal and Morocco, and the European Commission, will address the new configuration of the road map in the European environment, paying particular attention to cross-border communications and, in particular, the current and future situation of the passes of the Pyrenees.
In this sense, the debate will have all the ingredients needed to understand and find solutions to cocktail transpirenaica "permeability". On the one hand, European view, the orographic barrier to save to decongest the ends, depending on the mobility needs of the economy of an entire continent. Vision through the Iberian (Spain and Portugal), which calls for an improvement of the road network as a pillar of access to the European market in conditions similar to those of our community partners competitiveness. The gala, which come into play, obviously, different from peninsular concerns. The vision of the local population, obviously interested in being accessible to tourists, but also for access to services that are still missing. To reach an ecological vision that exists and is not negligible, and that prioritizes the needs of the environment against any other.
The XXIV Week Road is organized by the Spanish Road Association (AEC) sponsored by the Department of Public Works, Transport and Communications of the Government of Navarra, the Ministry of Development and the Ministry of Interior, and collaboration Town Hall of Pamplona, Caja Navarra, Navarra Business Building, the Navarra Association of Construction Companies Public Works, the Chamber of Commerce of Navarra, the College of Civil Engineering and Ports and Technical Works of Navarra Engineers Association national Manufacturers and derivatives Cales Spain, and the companies Brisa -portuguesa- and Agengoa Sainco -española- Traffic.
