IU- Podemos seeks to renegotiate the undergrounding agreement in Torrelavega
The United Left- Podemos party in Torrelavega has presented a proposal for discussion in the Plenary Session of the City Council with the aim of pressuring the PRC-PSOE government team to review and improve the agreement with Adif, dependent on the Ministry of Development, and the Executive of Cantabria for the burying of the train tracks in the center of the city. This is because, after the increase in the cost of the project, the City Council will have to contribute almost a third of the municipal budget and will have to go into debt for a period of between 15 and 20 years.
Concern about the financial impact on Torrelavega
From the coalition, concern has been expressed about the amount that the City Council will have to contribute, describing it as ‘crazy’. It is planned to present a proposal similar to that of other municipalities where the local administration would not have to contribute financially to carry out a project of this magnitude.
Project overrun and municipal debt
The IU- Podemos proposal arises after the increase in the cost of the project in Torrelavega, which has reached 130 million plus VAT, 56.6% more than the initial figure of 83 million. This increase is due to the inclusion of an underground parking lot in the project and the increase in ‘real unit prices’ not contemplated in the initial agreement.
Given this situation, the City Council plans to go into debt for a period of between 15 and 20 years to be able to cover its part of the railway underground, which amounts to 26 million, representing 20% of the total. This amount will be paid together with the regional government (30%) and the State (50%).
Call to renegotiate the agreement
IU- Podemos has urged that the agreement be renegotiated to bring the economic conditions of the Torrelavega City Council into line with those of other municipalities. It has been highlighted that it is not logical to assume 20% of the cost of a work that is not municipal responsibility.
It has been pointed out that the agreement signed by the Sant Feliu de Llobregat City Council in 2006 was identical to the one signed by Torrelavega in 2018, but in the first it was renegotiated and now Fomento will contribute 100%. The PRC-PSOE has been urged to sit down with the Government of Spain and Cantabria to defend the interests of Torrelavega.
