viernes, 11 de diciembre de 2009
In the Levante the infrastructures and the destructionof the territory is increasing
Two weeks ago the Consell Insular de Mallorca approved the road plans. In this plan the widening of the road from Manacor to San Lorenzo is anticipated. In the last alteration that has been carried out only the name of the motorway for widening has been changed.The train from Manacor to San Lorenzo continues with the process of bidding. This signifies that in the Levante in a short time the infrastructures will increase and that for a good part of the kilometres between Manacor and San Lorenzo the motorway and the train will run almost parallel, leaving in between the two tracks a cutting of thousands of unusable square metres. The association Alternativa al tren again publishes its opposition to this aggressive destuction of land. The association considers that a good public transport system, based on the existing infrastructures,should be put in motion,competitive with the car and does not destoy more land.
sábado, 17 de octubre de 2009
The Anti Train Association asks the president to stop the railway project whilst the coverage of the Llevant region is not clearly known
The Anti Train Association – Transport East network have analysed the Plan de transportes ferroviarios of the Islas Baleares, the project to re-open the Manacor – Artà railway, the environmental impact report, the railway laws, and have followed the information relevant to railway transport in Mallorca.
After analysing all this information, the association considers that to carry out this project is an irresponsible policy that will degrade the future of public transport to the Levante of Mallorca with a grave loss of territory.
For these and the following reasons, the association asks that the president of the Islas Baleares re-assess the necessity and the priority of reopening and rebuilding the Manacor – Artà line. And that if at the end, he still considers that they must give priority to the railway line with the least potential demand of the whole of Mallorca, the n he doesn’t allow them to start work until all the plans have been drawn up and approved Manacor centre, the route to Cala Ratjada and the route to Porto Cristo. That is, we ask the president of the Islas Baleares, to not continue with the expropriations, nor start work, until they know all the needs and necessities for the whole of the Levante region (Manacor – Artà - Cala Ratjada and Porto Cristo), even though, afterwards, the project will be carried out in stages.
In addition, after following the budget of the central government we can see that there is insufficient money to build this project, even though there is a signed agreement.
Another thing that worries us is that if they start the project without a guaranteed budget and they have to stop and abandon the project after already expropriating our land that would then be also abandoned and uncared for.
We’re also worried that they will start work without having clearly decided on 3 major points:
1. The connection with the present station in Manacor.
2. The route of the hypothetical train to Porto Cristo. It only came to light in the July 2009 modified version of the project that there is a hypothetical future branch to Porto Cristo from the rural centre of Son Carrió.
3. The continuation to Cala Ratjada, that is still under planning.
To not have these points decided would cause future work to not coincide with work they do now:
1. If they don’t know where the train will pass through Manacor, perhaps the provisional location for a station will not be suitable and it will be work that needs undoing or redoing.
2. If they build the train sheds in Son Carrió without having rigorously analysed from where the train will travel to / from Porto Cristo (since the Consejería de Movilidad gave the only reason, recently, non-existent in the original project, to build the sheds in Son Carrió is for a hypothetical branch to Porto Cristo), could mean that future studies determine a better route for the Porto Cristo branch would be from Manacor. This would mean that in the future they might have to relocate the sheds to Manacor, and rebuild them, with the cost that this would once again incur.
3. If it is not clear how to route to Cala Ratjada, nor from where it will come from, it also isn’t clear where the station and the sheds will be located (as they won’t be in the same place) in Artà. These plans to Cala Ratjada, could affect the placement of part of the old plans to Artà, and this would mean, once again, a rearrangement, and additional cost.
Alternative Option
Given all the reasons that make us believe that the Artá railway is a poorly realised project for the Levante region and the lack detail in the project and in the plans, the Anti Train Association suggests a bus network that has maximum population coverage and that avoids the need to construct more infrastructures. It also proposes to convert the old railway lines into greenlines (www.viasverdes.como) and restore the stations to convert them into working stations. The greenlines would offer an alternative tourist attraction for the Levante region.
After analysing all this information, the association considers that to carry out this project is an irresponsible policy that will degrade the future of public transport to the Levante of Mallorca with a grave loss of territory.
For these and the following reasons, the association asks that the president of the Islas Baleares re-assess the necessity and the priority of reopening and rebuilding the Manacor – Artà line. And that if at the end, he still considers that they must give priority to the railway line with the least potential demand of the whole of Mallorca, the n he doesn’t allow them to start work until all the plans have been drawn up and approved Manacor centre, the route to Cala Ratjada and the route to Porto Cristo. That is, we ask the president of the Islas Baleares, to not continue with the expropriations, nor start work, until they know all the needs and necessities for the whole of the Levante region (Manacor – Artà - Cala Ratjada and Porto Cristo), even though, afterwards, the project will be carried out in stages.
In addition, after following the budget of the central government we can see that there is insufficient money to build this project, even though there is a signed agreement.
Another thing that worries us is that if they start the project without a guaranteed budget and they have to stop and abandon the project after already expropriating our land that would then be also abandoned and uncared for.
We’re also worried that they will start work without having clearly decided on 3 major points:
1. The connection with the present station in Manacor.
2. The route of the hypothetical train to Porto Cristo. It only came to light in the July 2009 modified version of the project that there is a hypothetical future branch to Porto Cristo from the rural centre of Son Carrió.
3. The continuation to Cala Ratjada, that is still under planning.
To not have these points decided would cause future work to not coincide with work they do now:
1. If they don’t know where the train will pass through Manacor, perhaps the provisional location for a station will not be suitable and it will be work that needs undoing or redoing.
2. If they build the train sheds in Son Carrió without having rigorously analysed from where the train will travel to / from Porto Cristo (since the Consejería de Movilidad gave the only reason, recently, non-existent in the original project, to build the sheds in Son Carrió is for a hypothetical branch to Porto Cristo), could mean that future studies determine a better route for the Porto Cristo branch would be from Manacor. This would mean that in the future they might have to relocate the sheds to Manacor, and rebuild them, with the cost that this would once again incur.
3. If it is not clear how to route to Cala Ratjada, nor from where it will come from, it also isn’t clear where the station and the sheds will be located (as they won’t be in the same place) in Artà. These plans to Cala Ratjada, could affect the placement of part of the old plans to Artà, and this would mean, once again, a rearrangement, and additional cost.
Alternative Option
Given all the reasons that make us believe that the Artá railway is a poorly realised project for the Levante region and the lack detail in the project and in the plans, the Anti Train Association suggests a bus network that has maximum population coverage and that avoids the need to construct more infrastructures. It also proposes to convert the old railway lines into greenlines (www.viasverdes.como) and restore the stations to convert them into working stations. The greenlines would offer an alternative tourist attraction for the Levante region.
lunes, 5 de octubre de 2009
They want to close the railway with the most demand in Mallorca and open one with the least
The Consejería de Movilidad contradicts itself.
Last week the Consejería de Movilidad moved to close the Palma Metro, in summer, against the economic recession, justifiable by the shortage of users.
On 29 December 2008, Antoni Verger, Director General de Movilidad, declared that the Palma Metro wasn’t sustainable because it only carried 2 million passengers a year and it needs 20 million a year to be able to maintain the line.
The same members of the Gobierno Balear have no problems in re-opening a railway line, the Artà one, that is estimated to carry less than 500.000 passengers a year, according to the Plan de transportes ferroviarios.
If the Metro suffers from seasonal fluctuations due to students not going to the UIB, then the Artà railway line, even though it doesn’t reach the tourist zones, has the seasonal problems of winter, as there is much less tourism in the Llevant region at this time of year.
The Anti Train Association wants to note these contradictions on the part of the Consejería de Movilidad. It is incongruent that the same people who maintain that a railway with 2 million passengers a years isn’t sustainable decide to re-open a railway with a potential demand of only 500.000 passengers.
Last week the Consejería de Movilidad moved to close the Palma Metro, in summer, against the economic recession, justifiable by the shortage of users.
On 29 December 2008, Antoni Verger, Director General de Movilidad, declared that the Palma Metro wasn’t sustainable because it only carried 2 million passengers a year and it needs 20 million a year to be able to maintain the line.
The same members of the Gobierno Balear have no problems in re-opening a railway line, the Artà one, that is estimated to carry less than 500.000 passengers a year, according to the Plan de transportes ferroviarios.
If the Metro suffers from seasonal fluctuations due to students not going to the UIB, then the Artà railway line, even though it doesn’t reach the tourist zones, has the seasonal problems of winter, as there is much less tourism in the Llevant region at this time of year.
The Anti Train Association wants to note these contradictions on the part of the Consejería de Movilidad. It is incongruent that the same people who maintain that a railway with 2 million passengers a years isn’t sustainable decide to re-open a railway with a potential demand of only 500.000 passengers.
viernes, 11 de septiembre de 2009
More train garages / sheds, more land consumption
Relocation of the sheds of Artà into three buildings situated in Artà and Son Carrió.
In the railway re-opening project, made public through the media in July 2009 for the second time, the first time being in December 2008, they have changed the locations of the garages / sheds in Artá.
The reason for the changes in location are due to objections made in December about a registered windmill located near the proposed sites in Artà.
The sheds in the December project were located at point 29+400, 600 metres from the end of the passage to Artà. In the project presented in July they were changed to point 28+600, 1600 metres away from Artà. In this case, the staff resident in Artà will now have to use their cars to get to work as opposed to being able to walk there, now that it is so much further away from the town.
On top of this, the change has also caused them to install some new sheds at point 12+800 in Son Carrió.
The change to the project is very significant. It means more land consumption and they have now decided to construct three buildings instead of one. In the first project there was only one garage / shed. In the second project there is a garage / workshop building with a warehouse / storage annex in Artà, and a couple of metres away there is an admin’ / office building. And in Son Carrió they have decided to build some new sheds. This also means an increase to the project globally.
In the first project it was clear that the required criteria used to locate the sheds was because they would be near a main road – quote: the highways and access roads to the sheds must be sufficiently wide enough to cater for the passage of heavy vehicles without causing a reduction in capacity of said highways (page 2 Proyecto de Reapertura de la Línea Estación de Empalme – Artá. Fase II: Proyecto Básico Manacor - Artá). With the new location of the sheds, particularly in Son Carrió this requirement is not fulfilled, since to get to the sheds in Son Carrió it is necessary to use the only street that goes through this small rural town and that, in addition, goes past the school.
Why? With what criteria?
The Anti Train Association asks what were the criteria that the engineers and politicians used to determine the new location of the garages / sheds. In the time that the basic project was displayed to the public it didn’t show any of these criteria nor did it state the space (m2) that the buildings would occupy and the difference in cost to use more land and to construct the buildings.
The locations of the sheds are as follows:
Location of the garage buildings in Artà at point 29+500 in the project of December 2008.
Construction of 3 independent buildings with the change in location in the project of July 2009. Garage building at point 12+800, Son Carrió and sheds, warehouse and offices at point 28+600, Artà.
sábado, 22 de agosto de 2009
¿Could it be cognitive dissonance that the Government returns to Alicante to see the trains?
According to various sources, members of the Conselleria de Mobilitat and SFM have again been to see the train / tram in Alicante (Mercado - Benidorm) on the 18 August 2009, say the Europa Press and Mallorca Confidencial.
On the 29 March 2009 the Diario de Mallorca informed us that the mayorsof the Llevant region along with members of the Conselleria de Mobilitat had already been to visit Alicante to see the benefits of this train / tram.
If the government has already announced that it has bought the units needed for the railway, 6 units for 26 million, why are they returning to Alicante? ¿Could this be cognitive dissonance ? (there is a tendency in people to unconsciously react to reduce dissonance, to keep a balance. Recent investigations demonstrate that dissonance can be a serious obstacle in decision making, which produces a strange scenario: that one clings or stands by his first decision even though one has doubts and possibly internal conflicts on the decision. ¿Could it be that they have bought 6 trains without being sure of the result or without proper planning?
SFM have visited railway 1, Mercado – Benidorn of Alicante. This line is 44 km long and has 14 stops. One Aeropuerto-Alicante-Benidorm-Altea.
The sheds are neaxt to the motorway AP-7, a route that connects the whole mediterranean coast from the French border to Algeciras.
Remember that the train in the Llevant region will be 33 km long with only 5 stops and they want to build the sheds in Son Carrió, a rural town that doesn’t even have a main road, and where, to get to the said sheds, one will have to go through the only road in the town which goes straight past the school.
The other possible explanation to this pharaonic project is that they want to turn Artà and Cala Rajada into an uncontrolled and exuberant concrete monstrosity like Benidorm and it’s surrounding areas.
jueves, 20 de agosto de 2009
The decision to construct the Manacor – Artà railway is based on a study made only on the Palma – Inca route.
The study cost 60 million pesetas and was based on only 290 questionnaires that were correctly answered.
In 2001 the company INECO presented to the Gobierno de las Islas Baleares the “Study of transport for the island of Mallorca and of alternative means of transport to link Palma with the UIB”. This study fue offered in 2000 (BOIB núm 56 4-5-2000) at 60 million of the old currency, pesetas. The Plan de Transporte Ferroviario de Baleares was based on the results of this study as described in page 71 in section III previous studies, to plan the new railway lines that are now being realised.
To undertake the Estudio de Movilidad de la Isla de Mallorca (INECO 2001) the investigation was only centralised on the residents of the Palma – Inca route, regardless of whether they were users of the railways or not. 567 questionnaires were returned, of which only 452 were correctly filled out. Although, once sorted, the sample study was based on 290 provident questionnaires on the Palma – Inca route to analyse the transport for the whole island of Mallorca (page 63-64).
In this study it was asked if one would prefer a train for public transport or investment in roads. Nevertheless the question was aimed at extending the railway to Inca and to Manacor; there was no mention or reference to any extensions to Artà or to Alcúdia. The answers were 62,7% in favour of extending the railway to Inca and to Manacor, 10,9% to invest in roads, 19,4% in favour of both options and 7,4% unsure (page 71).
Regarding the favourable option to extend the existing railway (62,7%), to Manacor, the highest percentage was from the Palma – Sierra Norte (north mountains) (71,2%) (page 71). Even though the question was centred on the route from Palma – Inca.
According to the Estudio de Movilidad de la Isla de Mallorca (INECO 2001) the highest transport needs per resident (over the age of 12) is on the Palma – Santanyí route, 14% higher than the highest average in the study area (page 44).
With the exception of Sóller (29.980) and the Sierra Norte (17.402), Palma – Periferia Levante hasthe lowest percentage of transport needs (82.695), which represents 5,9% of the total. Most of the trips are made on the Palma Interior Vía Cintura (Palma inner ring road) (430.277, 30,9%), Palma Exterior Vía Cintura (outer ring road) (241.469, 17,3%) and Palma – Inca – Alcúdia (203.818, 14,6%). Palma – Andratx produces 107.402 trips, 7,7% of the total, and Palma – Santanyí produces 96.141 trips, 6,9% of the total.
The Palma – Inca – Alcúdia route, where the most public transport is in operation, is where the people use it least. Only 22,9% use it frequently, 24% sometimes and 53,1% hardly ever use it (page 69).
The “hardly ever use” public transport represents a much higher percentage (62,3%) in relation to frequent users (17,7%) and “sometimes use it” (18,1%) on most of the island. The number of minor usage, being higher than average, is found in the Palma – Sierra Norte, Palma – Andratx, Palma interior Vía Cintura, Palma – Manacor y Palma – Periféricos de Levante routes.
The principal reasons for the low usage is that the private vehicle is more comfortable (44,3%), that there are few bus routes and that they are infrequent (page 69).
75,8% of the questioned responded that they would prefer improvements to the roads and 24,2% would prefer the construction of motorways. To the question of whether they would prefer better roads or better public transport, 25,1% said they would prefer better roads, 30,7% better public transport and 40,2% both (page 70).
The Anti Train Association believes that the cost and the land usage needed for the Artá railway is not justified.
After having analysed the transport study for the Island of Mallorca from which the Plan de transportes ferroviarios justifies the railway route for Artà, Cala Millor and Cala Rajada, the Anti Train Association ratifies that the project to reopen the railway to Artà is not justified in any way. For a start it shows that the study is not significant, because it was centred on the resident between Palma – Inca, not the residents in the Llevant region. Also, the numbers questioned is very low, and even then shows the transport in the Llevant region to be less.
459,138 m2 in expropriations for the Manacor-Artà train project.
Only the SFM (Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca) know the full details of the whole project. The local councils only have partial information.
The Anti-Train Association has been to consult the Manacor-Artà train project. According to the BOIB published 14 of July, 2009 by the Consejería de Movilidad y Ordenación del Territorio, details will be on public display 15 days from said date. Objections can be made until 30 of July. They need 459,138 square metres in order to construct there-opening project for the Manacor-Artà train.
Of these 459,138 square metres that they are going to expropriate, 396,803 m2 (86,42%) are from rural areas, 12,516 m2 (2,43%) urban, 42,337 m2 affect roads and 482 m2 will affect public waterways and irrigation networks.
This information is only available from the SFM (Serveis Ferroviarios de Mallorca). Even though the BOIB clearly states that it is available from local councils, they only have partial information. They only have maps with expropriations. They are not aware of the reasons for the changes to the expropriations or of the criteria used nor can you raise or see existing objections at the council offices. Also the new project has been published without first responding to previous objections.
The strong points of the Plan de transportes ferroviarios have become weak points.
One of the only two strong points of the Plan de Transportes Ferroviarios del Govern Balear was that one of the reasons to re-open the Artà line was that they wouldn’t have to expropriate. Now we know that they have to expropriate 3 times more land than is presently owned by the SFM.
The other strong point was the convenience to tourism, something else that doesn’t work simply because the line doesn’t reach Cala Millor and we don’t even know whether it will reach Cala Ratjada yet because the viability study hasn’t yet been realised.
Sant Llorenç, the area most affected by the expropriations and by work areas in Son Carrió.
Sant Llorenç is the area most affected by the expropriations. In total they need, in Sant Llorenç, 150,716 m2 of land so the train can once again pass through this municipality.
Also, in the new project they have decided to construct work areas in Son Carrió, on traditional country land. These work areas and the connecting roads will occupy more than 5,000 square metres between Son Carrió station and the cemetery. It is also assumed that they will have to clear more than 15,000 cubic metres of earth to level the ground for the railway. This will have a grave environmental impact on the small town of Son Carrió we don’t know how it will affect the urban planning or traffic circulation. In the first project they elected to place the work areas in Artà because they were near to a busier route. In Son Carrió only two routes that pass through the town reach the station and its associated areas. We don’t know how this will affect busses and lorries in Son Carrió being able to get to the station or the work areas respectively. Remember that on the road they need to use there is a school.
The following table shows the planned expropriations by municipality:
| Municipality | Rural land m2 | Urban land | Others m2 | Totals m2 | |
|
|
| Buildings m2 | Not built m2 |
|
|
| MANACOR | 98.984 | 307 | 852 | 10.422 | 110.565 |
| SANT LLORENÇ | 136.675 |
| 122 | 13919
| 150.716 |
| SON SERVERA | 84952 | 3.004 | 2.942 | 17.620 | 108.518 |
| ARTÀ | 76.192 | 4.898 | 391 | 7.858 | 89339 |
According to the project the total value of these expropriations is 3.379.990 euros. This is a very low figure to pay to destroy the eastern region “Llevant” of Mallorca and for the liquidation of farming facilities in comparison to the global cost of the project, which will only benefit the construction companies involved in building the project.
jueves, 6 de agosto de 2009
Alternativa al Tren submitted its allegations to the Conselleria de Mobilitat Territori y Ordenació against the reopening of the railway Ar
The association Alternativa al Tren submitted its allegations to the Conselleria de Mobilitat Territori y Ordenació against the reopening of the railway Manacor - Artá.
These allegations relate to the contradictions in the "Strategic Plan for Infrastructure, Transport and Transportation of the Ministry of Public Works" (Plan estratégico de Infrastructuras y Transporte del Ministeri de Foment) the master plan for the regular transport (Pla director de transport de regular viatges per carreteres) of persons and road and the rail plan (Pla de Transport Ferroviari) of the Government of the Balearic Islands. After the basics of the plans, is the Project proposed by the Conselleria de Mobilitat, not coherent (not in line) with the directives and guidelines in the aforementioned basis plans were presented.
These allegations relate to the contradictions in the "Strategic Plan for Infrastructure, Transport and Transportation of the Ministry of Public Works" (Plan estratégico de Infrastructuras y Transporte del Ministeri de Foment) the master plan for the regular transport (Pla director de transport de regular viatges per carreteres) of persons and road and the rail plan (Pla de Transport Ferroviari) of the Government of the Balearic Islands. After the basics of the plans, is the Project proposed by the Conselleria de Mobilitat, not coherent (not in line) with the directives and guidelines in the aforementioned basis plans were presented.
viernes, 24 de julio de 2009
Estimated 50.000 m2 more expropriations (land / property reclamations) needed for the Manacor-Artà train project.
Over 12% land consumption and 48 more affected properties to construct the railway, service roads, electricity transformers and car parking.
According to the BOIB published 14 July 2009 the Consejería de Movilidad y Ordenación del Territorio needs 50,000 square metres more than previously estimated to carry out the re-opening of the Manacor-Artà railway.
In total to carry out Manacor-Artà railway project they now need 458,441 square metres, not counting the temporary space occupation, almost 50.000 m2 more than the publicly announced figures of the BOIB on 30 November 2008.
Sant Llorenç (San Lorenzo) is the most affected area. According to the BOIB 2009 they need 149,940 square metres, in the BOIB 2008 it was 123,270. Therefore, now in Sant Llorenç they need 26,000 square metres more so that the train can pass through the town. In Sant Llorenç there are to be 34 newly affected properties.
Son Servera is the next most affected area in this new estimate. They now need some 20,000 square metres more. In total they need 106,973 square metres, whereas according to the BOIB of 30 November 2008 they needed 86,961. In Son Servera there will be 13 more properties affected.
Manacor is the second area with more square metres to expropriate after Sant Llorenç. They now need to reclaim 110,382 square metres which isn’t much different to the previously estimated 109,697 square metres. However, remember that in Manacor they still have to announce the expropriations necessary to connect the train from the Plaza Madrid, where the new station will be, to the old station to link it to Palma. This is a 3-kilometre stretch. The number of affected properties stays the same.
The difference in square metres in Artà is about 2,573, and now there are 91,146 square metres to expropriate. In November 2008 it was 88,573. In Artà there are 11 newly affected properties.
People who objected at the time do not know what has happened to these objections, nor what criteria have been followed to change the land expropriations. The list of affected, 30 November, haven’t received any answers from the Consejería de movilidad about these objections.
The details of expropriations can be consulted within 15 working days from the publication of the BOIB, 14 July, to see if more objections are needed. Counting Saturday as a working day, it´s not possible for staff of the SFM (Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca) or of the councils to go to consult the project.
Anti-Train Association recently published a summary of the environmental impact which concluded that the project is a permanent, irreversible and non-recoverable impact (http://alternativaaltren.blogspot.com/2009/07/la-vuelta-del-tren-manacor-arta-causara.html). Now we will have to review this report to include the extra 50,000 square metres they now need, to see what repercussions this will have on the environment, the economy and society. Also we need to know what criteria they have followed in accepting or rejecting our objections and how they justify that the project will now consume 50,000 square metros of land more in the Llevant region of Mallorca, which is a 12,24% increase on the original forecast.
This information contradicts what was said in the El Mundo newspaper in November 2008 when they explained that the figures would be reduced once the plans were more advanced (http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/10/30/baleares/1225407478.html).
NOTE: if anyone detects any small errors in the figures we would appreciate if you point them out to us at (alternativaaltren@gmail.com)
According to the BOIB published 14 July 2009 the Consejería de Movilidad y Ordenación del Territorio needs 50,000 square metres more than previously estimated to carry out the re-opening of the Manacor-Artà railway.
In total to carry out Manacor-Artà railway project they now need 458,441 square metres, not counting the temporary space occupation, almost 50.000 m2 more than the publicly announced figures of the BOIB on 30 November 2008.
Sant Llorenç (San Lorenzo) is the most affected area. According to the BOIB 2009 they need 149,940 square metres, in the BOIB 2008 it was 123,270. Therefore, now in Sant Llorenç they need 26,000 square metres more so that the train can pass through the town. In Sant Llorenç there are to be 34 newly affected properties.
Son Servera is the next most affected area in this new estimate. They now need some 20,000 square metres more. In total they need 106,973 square metres, whereas according to the BOIB of 30 November 2008 they needed 86,961. In Son Servera there will be 13 more properties affected.
Manacor is the second area with more square metres to expropriate after Sant Llorenç. They now need to reclaim 110,382 square metres which isn’t much different to the previously estimated 109,697 square metres. However, remember that in Manacor they still have to announce the expropriations necessary to connect the train from the Plaza Madrid, where the new station will be, to the old station to link it to Palma. This is a 3-kilometre stretch. The number of affected properties stays the same.
The difference in square metres in Artà is about 2,573, and now there are 91,146 square metres to expropriate. In November 2008 it was 88,573. In Artà there are 11 newly affected properties.
People who objected at the time do not know what has happened to these objections, nor what criteria have been followed to change the land expropriations. The list of affected, 30 November, haven’t received any answers from the Consejería de movilidad about these objections.
The details of expropriations can be consulted within 15 working days from the publication of the BOIB, 14 July, to see if more objections are needed. Counting Saturday as a working day, it´s not possible for staff of the SFM (Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca) or of the councils to go to consult the project.
Anti-Train Association recently published a summary of the environmental impact which concluded that the project is a permanent, irreversible and non-recoverable impact (http://alternativaaltren.blogspot.com/2009/07/la-vuelta-del-tren-manacor-arta-causara.html). Now we will have to review this report to include the extra 50,000 square metres they now need, to see what repercussions this will have on the environment, the economy and society. Also we need to know what criteria they have followed in accepting or rejecting our objections and how they justify that the project will now consume 50,000 square metros of land more in the Llevant region of Mallorca, which is a 12,24% increase on the original forecast.
This information contradicts what was said in the El Mundo newspaper in November 2008 when they explained that the figures would be reduced once the plans were more advanced (http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/10/30/baleares/1225407478.html).
NOTE: if anyone detects any small errors in the figures we would appreciate if you point them out to us at (alternativaaltren@gmail.com)
sábado, 18 de julio de 2009
The return of the Manacor – Artà train would cause a permanent, irreversible and unrecoverable environmental impact.
With these words; irreversible, unrecoverable, permanent environmental impact, concludes the environment impact study of the re-opening project for the Manacor – Artá line. This notice has been publicly displayed in the offices of the (Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca) as mentioned in the BOIB of 24 February.
The Anti Train Association – Xarxa de Mobilitat de Llevant have fully analysed the re-opening of the Manacor – Artá railway project and wants the most significant impacts to be known to the public. The Study of environmental impact has been carried out by the company contracted by the Consejería de Movilidad y Ordenación del Territorio del Govern de las Illes Balears. The Association just wants the results to be available to the public, the environmental authorities and the media.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS OF THE RE-OPENING OF THE
MANACOR – ARTÁ RAILWAY
CONSTRUCTION OF MORE ROADS & LANES
There will have to be 46 roads and bylanes built according to the environmental impact study carried out by government engineers. According to our calculations this is equivalent to building 40 kilometres of new roadway.
DESTABILISATION & EROSION
Possible destabilisation and subsidence are unfavourable for the construction of the railway.
Risk of erosion and of instability of slopes, caused by land manipulation.
WATER: CONTAMINATIÓN & FLOW DISRUPTION
Risk of contamination of aquifers.
Disruption and depressurisation of waterways.
BIRD ELECTROCUTION
Risk of electric shock to birds.
VISUALLY INTRUSIVE
Impact on the countryside: alteration of landscape, aesthetically unappealing.
POORER AIR QUALITY
Impact on the air quality, increase in the levels of emissions of contamination and dust.
SPECULATION & LACK OF MOBILITY
Potential changes in the distribution of the population
Impact on urban locations, alteration of urban paperwork.
Increase in vehicular traffic
Mobility effects. Effect of the barrier generated especially by railways. The interception points with the railway will increase access times between various areas, also the interceptions of lanes and roads with the railway will need altering, affecting transit in the area disrupting the normal activities of the people in the surrounding areas
MORE QUARRIES
It will be necessary to bring 206.854,38m3 of earth and gravel from quarries in the area
DESTRUCTION OF THE FAUNA & FLORA
Affected Fauna: 2 amphibians, 3 types of reptiles, 16 types of mammals and 53 classes of bird
Destruction: partial or total removal of the soil layer
Within the project’s reach there are 4 habitats of community interest
AGRICULTURE & NATURAL DISASTERS
Permanent loss of productive and fertile ground
Risk of flooding
Distribution of species with high colonisation characteristics will alter the natural balance of the countryside
In the document in the following link (document in Castellano) the page numbers from where this information has been extracted have been rigorously noted.
lunes, 8 de junio de 2009
Campaign in Germany against the ruthless destruction of our favorite island Mallorca
Different services (Restaurants , Bars, Langugage schools ) which are visited by people who love Mallorca , are stuffed with posters against the train Project Manacor – Artá .
Last week in Hamburg , serveral services were equipped with postres against the plans of the construcion from new roads and railway lines on the island of Mallorca. The selected services are frequently visited by people who love Mallorca (visitors and residents) .
The posters describe the different installations and the new roads which have to be buildt to make possible the reopening from the train path Manacor – Artá . Until now, the government deprived this informations to the citizens and it did not appeared in the newspapers. The german neighbours are dismayed after they were informed about the Project and the consequences with all the newly established infrastructures and all the impacts of the mallorquin landscape .
Since the poster were distributed in Hamburg , the ascociacion Alternativa Al Tren – Xarxa de Mobilitat de Llevant had a lot of accessions of new members.
Aims of Asociación Alternativa al Tren: http://alternativaaltren.blogspot.com/2009/04/asociacion-alternativa-al-tren-xarxa-de.html
Last week in Hamburg , serveral services were equipped with postres against the plans of the construcion from new roads and railway lines on the island of Mallorca. The selected services are frequently visited by people who love Mallorca (visitors and residents) .
The posters describe the different installations and the new roads which have to be buildt to make possible the reopening from the train path Manacor – Artá . Until now, the government deprived this informations to the citizens and it did not appeared in the newspapers. The german neighbours are dismayed after they were informed about the Project and the consequences with all the newly established infrastructures and all the impacts of the mallorquin landscape .
Since the poster were distributed in Hamburg , the ascociacion Alternativa Al Tren – Xarxa de Mobilitat de Llevant had a lot of accessions of new members.
Aims of Asociación Alternativa al Tren: http://alternativaaltren.blogspot.com/2009/04/asociacion-alternativa-al-tren-xarxa-de.html
lunes, 25 de mayo de 2009
The reopening of the Manacor-Artá Train requires the construction of 40 km of new bylanes.
The construction of the whole infrastructure is equivalent to 91 cuarteradas (1 cuarterada= 7.103 m2)
The Anti Train Association has analysed the plans to open the railway from Manacor to Artá and the corresponding information about the environmental impact. Whilst the Government provides arguments on the supposed benefits of the train / tram in Manacor, the Anti Train Association wants to denounce the destruction that this pharaonic infrastructure would cause in the Llevante region.
One of the principal impacts of the project is to have to construct 40 bylanes to provide access to all of the affected properties that lie adjacent to the path of the railway. These new bylanes will occupy more than 200,000 m2. This is equivalent to a highway of more than 40 km long and 5 m wide. In comparison, this equivalates to constructing an extra lane on the Palma to Manacor motorway. In other words, to open 33 km of railway it’s also necessary to construct 40 km of access roads and bylanes.
On top of this it would be necessary to build 17 bridges and tunnels. The repositioning of 45 electrical installations and lines and 7 water lines. This is without counting the three electric transformers needed for the electric train / tram.
In study, an expropriation of at least 411,000 m2 would be necessary. This space plus 231,000 m2 owned by SFM – Servicios Ferroviarios de Mallorca (management and operations) add up to the equivalent of a finca of more than 91 “cuarteradas”. This whole area would be occupied by access roads, infrastructure, ramps, drives, garbage skips and functional structures in a state which, according to the study of GRUSAMAR-INECO of Julio 2008 (taken from the study of environmental impact simulation of this project, page 72 and others) would be permanent, irreversible and non-recoverable.
To give a visual idea, the 91 cuarteradas in total that are necessary to reopen the railway line from Manacor to Artà, is comparatively equivalent to the area occupied by the four lanes and central reservation of the motorway from Manacor to Palma.
Anti Train requests a comprehensive public transport and rejects work that causes an irreversible, unrecoverable and permanent negative environmental impact.
Anti Train is not against a new transport system, it’s actually in favour of one, but not one that reaches only 5 urban nuclei – actual itinery of the train project – abandoning the rest of the coastal towns and other dispersed areas in the Llevant.
We are in favour of the conservation of the island as it is, we don’t want more motorways nor more destruction of our territory with new infrastructures, whether they be new roads, new access bylanes or new railways.
We believe the region can have a punctual, efficient, clean and ecologically sound transport system using a network of buses and minibuses, operated and managed by serious and efficient concessions. Like it or not, to connect the coastal population and dispersed areas of the Llevant region we will still need an auxiliary network of transport anyway to connect to the 5 urban nuclei that have a train station.
We are a pioneering nation in renewable energies, we must also try to be so in ecological transport taking advantage of all the existing technology, utilizing the resources we have but without destroying anymore of our surroundings nor harming the landscape, the flora, the fauna or the fragility of the countryside.
Antecedents
In 1993 by means of R.D. 2232-93 the C.A.I.B. transferred the competition of Transporte ferroviario. In 1994, according to S.F.M company, it was decreed 10-94 on 13th January (B.O.I.B-15/94) the idea of uniting Palma with Artà by means of the train, in force from 2003 with the initial phase, Estacio d Enllaç – Manacor. This was determined by political forces with the support of particular interests initiated through illogical propaganda with unasserted and incomprehensible indications as to whether there was approval or rejection to this idea, or to the study of environmental impact and the project data of 2008 July. Today we only present the more recognizable environmental impacts to them by showing that the project published in July of 2008 and set out to public exhibition in November of the 2008 differs to the report of environmental impact at the beginning of 2009. Until now the public had not been informed on the environmental cost of this project and therefore the option to be in favour or against was an illogical and irrational one.
Now, with this information at hand The Anti Train Association considers that this project is detrimental to the Llevant region and offers very little ecologically nor would it benefit in efficiency because the proportion between the investment and the transport coverage is immensely out of proportion.
The Anti Train Association has analysed the plans to open the railway from Manacor to Artá and the corresponding information about the environmental impact. Whilst the Government provides arguments on the supposed benefits of the train / tram in Manacor, the Anti Train Association wants to denounce the destruction that this pharaonic infrastructure would cause in the Llevante region.
One of the principal impacts of the project is to have to construct 40 bylanes to provide access to all of the affected properties that lie adjacent to the path of the railway. These new bylanes will occupy more than 200,000 m2. This is equivalent to a highway of more than 40 km long and 5 m wide. In comparison, this equivalates to constructing an extra lane on the Palma to Manacor motorway. In other words, to open 33 km of railway it’s also necessary to construct 40 km of access roads and bylanes.
On top of this it would be necessary to build 17 bridges and tunnels. The repositioning of 45 electrical installations and lines and 7 water lines. This is without counting the three electric transformers needed for the electric train / tram.
In study, an expropriation of at least 411,000 m2 would be necessary. This space plus 231,000 m2 owned by SFM – Servicios Ferroviarios de Mallorca (management and operations) add up to the equivalent of a finca of more than 91 “cuarteradas”. This whole area would be occupied by access roads, infrastructure, ramps, drives, garbage skips and functional structures in a state which, according to the study of GRUSAMAR-INECO of Julio 2008 (taken from the study of environmental impact simulation of this project, page 72 and others) would be permanent, irreversible and non-recoverable.
To give a visual idea, the 91 cuarteradas in total that are necessary to reopen the railway line from Manacor to Artà, is comparatively equivalent to the area occupied by the four lanes and central reservation of the motorway from Manacor to Palma.
Anti Train requests a comprehensive public transport and rejects work that causes an irreversible, unrecoverable and permanent negative environmental impact.
Anti Train is not against a new transport system, it’s actually in favour of one, but not one that reaches only 5 urban nuclei – actual itinery of the train project – abandoning the rest of the coastal towns and other dispersed areas in the Llevant.
We are in favour of the conservation of the island as it is, we don’t want more motorways nor more destruction of our territory with new infrastructures, whether they be new roads, new access bylanes or new railways.
We believe the region can have a punctual, efficient, clean and ecologically sound transport system using a network of buses and minibuses, operated and managed by serious and efficient concessions. Like it or not, to connect the coastal population and dispersed areas of the Llevant region we will still need an auxiliary network of transport anyway to connect to the 5 urban nuclei that have a train station.
We are a pioneering nation in renewable energies, we must also try to be so in ecological transport taking advantage of all the existing technology, utilizing the resources we have but without destroying anymore of our surroundings nor harming the landscape, the flora, the fauna or the fragility of the countryside.
Antecedents
In 1993 by means of R.D. 2232-93 the C.A.I.B. transferred the competition of Transporte ferroviario. In 1994, according to S.F.M company, it was decreed 10-94 on 13th January (B.O.I.B-15/94) the idea of uniting Palma with Artà by means of the train, in force from 2003 with the initial phase, Estacio d Enllaç – Manacor. This was determined by political forces with the support of particular interests initiated through illogical propaganda with unasserted and incomprehensible indications as to whether there was approval or rejection to this idea, or to the study of environmental impact and the project data of 2008 July. Today we only present the more recognizable environmental impacts to them by showing that the project published in July of 2008 and set out to public exhibition in November of the 2008 differs to the report of environmental impact at the beginning of 2009. Until now the public had not been informed on the environmental cost of this project and therefore the option to be in favour or against was an illogical and irrational one.
Now, with this information at hand The Anti Train Association considers that this project is detrimental to the Llevant region and offers very little ecologically nor would it benefit in efficiency because the proportion between the investment and the transport coverage is immensely out of proportion.
miércoles, 13 de mayo de 2009
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
To enforce such an ambitious project , we know , that we need the support of a wide social mass . Therefore we need help from everybody . The Membership is free , but we hope you cooperate in various activities , which allow to us , to get a public transport which stands for all citizens and tourist at the Comarca Llevant (region from the east coast) from Mallorca.
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Membership Application
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Membership Application
sábado, 2 de mayo de 2009
The Anti Train Association organises a meeting organised for Transport without Trains.
The best way to prevent the train passing through Manacor is to not build the train to Artá but to provide a fast and flexible public transport system.
The Anti Train Association - Xarxa de Mobilitat del Llevant - has organised a meeting for the “Transport without Trains” campaign on Monday 20th at 19.30 hours in Manacor station. During this meeting we shall be looking for ways to add public pressure and to highlight the inefficiencies of the planned transport projects.
The Anti Train Association’s principal object is to raise awareness to the population of the Llevante region in order to create an efficient public transport system that can be used by all of the population areas of the said region. A train / tram could only travel at around 30km/h around the urban district of Manacor and would make difficult the transport for people from different population centres in the Llevante region to Inca or Palma. The Anti Train Association does not agree with some of the proposed solutions like putting buses from Plaza Madrid to the train station, or making the train travel the outskirts of Manacor. Both these ideas, like the idea of the train / tram, would make the public transport route to Palma impossible simply because it would take too long, This would make using public transport unviable for people needing to travel from the Llevante areas to Palma every day for work or study.
The train / tram in Manacor is a public service for the people of Manacor that lacks global vision for the for the real transport needs of the city.
The tram that the Manacor Council proposes will not really be a public service for the people of Manacor because it won’t connect all areas and, therefore, lacks a global vision of the transport needs of the population Manacor. The proposal is an erroneous solution to the problem of connecting two different types of train, the electric tram in the Llevante areas and the diesel train to Palma.
In addition neither the Government nor the City council have presented / displayed a mobility study to analyse the effects of the passage of this train / tram to the other types of transport in and around Manacor. Neither have they presented any type of project or plans on how it will affect the flow of traffic and pedestrian or bicycle access on the Paseo del Ferrocarril or the surrounding areas. In addition, there is no study or project on how the passage of the train / tram would affect public areas (land) or the consequences thereof.
The Anti Train Association considers the train to Artà, as well as the tram between the two stations of Manacor, to be deficient projects founded without proper research or foundation and demand that it provides public access and opinion to the mobility studies on which they are based. We also demand a comparison of possible alternatives like a bus network for all areas of the Llevant region, that connect with a joint station in Manacor and the construction of a dual carriageway to Inca to increase speed and flexibility. In this way public transport coverage of all 20 population areas of the Llevant could be attained (over 200 stops) rather than just the 4 stations provided by the train route. Only in this way can we make it worth using an efficient public transport system around the Llevant region rather than using the car.
We propose a study on the upgrading Manacor station to accept buses and of upgrading to a dual carriageway Manacor-Inca to increase speed, safety and flexibility.
The Anti Train Association proposes an alternative public transport system to the train considering that the government plans for the train project do not fulfil the expectations of a public transport system for everyone. In addition, by dividing the urban area of Manacor, this project destroys the rural territory that it divides because it will not be sufficient to build only on existing lines or routes but will also need 33km of track plus access and fencing.
The regions of the Llevante are dispersed and have low population densities. Trains are fine for moving large numbers of passengers but not for running half full considering the amount of energy needed to move them. A train running half full uses much more fuel per passenger than any other type of transport.
The Anti Train Association believes that the train / tram for Manacor and Artà project has many unsolved flaws and that some of the 19th century ideas of this project are intolerable for a 21st century society. The association members have not had access to information on the study of the transport needs of the people of the Llevant region to justify this pharaonic project.
The Balearic Railway Transport Plan indicates that the Llevant line is the least viable of the railroads that it wants to re-open or create, and only becomes viable if it doesn’t end at Artà but continues to Cala Ratjada. If it were to continue to Cala Ratjada it would negate the justification of this line, being not to create but to re-open, because a railway between Artà and Cala Ratjada doesn’t, and never did, exist.
The Spanish Strategic Plan of Infrastructures and Transports (PEIT) of the Ministry of Public Works and Economy does not recommend the development of railway in the Balearic islands but indicates explicitly that because it is a fragile territory there must be thorough analysis on how to provide the best method of public transport that complies with all of the different social needs.
For more information you can consult the Association’s web-page (http://alternativaaltren.blogspot.com), write to alternativaaltren@gmail.com or contact the president of the association, Claudia Gelabert (+34630173791)
viernes, 10 de abril de 2009
The ascociation Alternativa al tren – Xarxa de mobilitat de Llevant is born.
The ascociation Alternativa al tren – Xarxa de mobilitat de Llevant is born.
Members wanted . For more information please contact : alternativaaltren@gmail.com, (0034)630173791.
Objectives:
1.To insist that the Government of the Illes Balears provides a form of public transport that is fast & safe, with minimum delays, to serve the Levante (East) region of Majorca, centred around Palma and the airport.
2.To avoid wasting public money on the construction of a train that only passes through five population centres, without plans to provide secondary links to these centres.
3.Propose that Manacor station is connected by buses to the East, linking to the train to provide a connection to Palma and that they double the Manacor – Palma service to provide faster and more frequent travel.
4.Secure a fast, flexible, efficient and socially acceptable form of public transport that connects all the population centres of the east, a somewhat sparsely populated area.
5.Propose ways to use existing infrastructures to their maximum capacity, without having to build new ones.
6.To promote the incorporation and use of the TIC to optimize resources, analyze demand in real time and to maximize coverage.
7. Avoid the construction of new transport infrastructuras which would destroy the growth and possibilities of the affected zones and causing the depopulation of zones that are not reconstructed.
8.Avoid the construction of new infrastructures that would destroy the character of the affected villages and towns.
9.Prove that improvement to existing services will serve the public better than new infrastructures built without proper planning or execution.
Members wanted . For more information please contact : alternativaaltren@gmail.com, (0034)630173791.
Objectives:
1.To insist that the Government of the Illes Balears provides a form of public transport that is fast & safe, with minimum delays, to serve the Levante (East) region of Majorca, centred around Palma and the airport.
2.To avoid wasting public money on the construction of a train that only passes through five population centres, without plans to provide secondary links to these centres.
3.Propose that Manacor station is connected by buses to the East, linking to the train to provide a connection to Palma and that they double the Manacor – Palma service to provide faster and more frequent travel.
4.Secure a fast, flexible, efficient and socially acceptable form of public transport that connects all the population centres of the east, a somewhat sparsely populated area.
5.Propose ways to use existing infrastructures to their maximum capacity, without having to build new ones.
6.To promote the incorporation and use of the TIC to optimize resources, analyze demand in real time and to maximize coverage.
7. Avoid the construction of new transport infrastructuras which would destroy the growth and possibilities of the affected zones and causing the depopulation of zones that are not reconstructed.
8.Avoid the construction of new infrastructures that would destroy the character of the affected villages and towns.
9.Prove that improvement to existing services will serve the public better than new infrastructures built without proper planning or execution.
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