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Date Published: 18/10/2024

Lorca fights to revive a forgotten railway line and bring life to rural Spain

A new campaign aims to reopen the abandoned Guadix, Baza, Almanzora, Lorca railway line

In a bid to revitalise the rural regions of southeastern Spain, the city of Lorca has joined forces with neighbouring towns to demand the reopening of the Guadix-Baza-Almanzora-Lorca railway line.

This long-abandoned route, which was “unjustly” closed in 1984, holds the key to unlocking economic growth, job creation and sustainable development in an area often referred to as ‘empty Spain’.

Ángel Ramón Meca Ruzafa, Councillor for Large Infrastructures, believes that reopening the railway line is not only viable but also crucial for the region's future.

“It would mean a strategic positioning for Lorca between the ports of Algeciras and Valencia and in connection with the logistics centres of the area of influence,” he said.

The proposed reopening of the railway line is part of the ‘No hay bien que no viene por tren’ (There’s no good that doesn’t come by train) campaign, which aims to bring attention to the importance of reviving the railway network in rural Spain. The campaign argues that reopening the line would not only create jobs but also improve connectivity, reduce traffic congestion and promote sustainable transportation.

However, Spain’s Ministry of Transport recently published a report claiming that reopening the rail link, included in the Murcia-Granada line, is “economically unviable”.

But Meca Ruzafa has strongly criticised the report, calling it “partial, biased, erroneous and deceitful”. He argues that the report fails to consider the railway line within the context of the Mediterranean Corridor, which would make it a vital link in the Region’s transportation network.

The railway groups of the southeast have presented objections to the report and are preparing a major social mobilisation to demand the reopening of the railway line.

Lorca’s councillor has also reiterated the importance of restoring the Cercanías service, which has been suspended for three years, and has called for the Ministry to speed up the completion of the Totana section to enable the San Diego station and reconnect the Cercanías with Madrid and Barcelona.

“Three years have passed without trains and there is no specific date for this service to be resumed. One million citizens are forced to take to the road due to the poor bus service that covers the route that the Cercanías used to make. We have a collapsed A-7,” he stressed.

Finally, he has again expressed his concern about the pace of the works. “They are making progress on burying the lines as they pass through the city, but it is of no use if the previous sections are not finished, because not a single train will be able to arrive if those routes are not finished first.”

For more local information, news and what's on visit the home page of Lorca Today

Images: Ayuntamiento Lorca

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Oficina de Turismo de Lorca

Lorca Tourist Office

The rich and extensive history of Lorca has left a legacy of archaeological sites, and historic buildings, around which the modern City has built its tourism industry. Amongst these are Lorca Castle, the Jewish Quarter of the castle and Synagogue, Lorca Tourist Office Plaza de España, Colegiata de San Patricio, Museo de Arqueologico Municipal, Iglesia de San Francisco, Casa Huerto Ruano, Palacio de Guevara, Iglesia de San Mateo, Pósito de los Panaderos, Convento Virgen de las Huertas, Antiguo Convento de la Merced, Iglesia del Carmen and the Teatro Guerra.

Unfortunately Lorca has also been prone to natural disaster, suffering a Gota Fría on September 28th 2012, as well as an earthquake which measured 5.3 on the Richter scale on 11th May 2011 and claimed 9 lives. Since this earthquake the city has been rebuilding, winning recognition for its Lorca, Open for Restoration initiative, which used the restoration of the city as a tourist attraction whilst it rebuilt its historical buildings, some of which are currently still not open.

Lorca Tourist Office The tourist office itself has temporarily relocated until the renovations are completed and is on Calle San Patricio near the church.

Lorca also has an area of coastline incorporating the Parque Regional de Cabo Cope - Puntas de Calnegre, in the Sierra de Almenara, which includes the beaches of, Puntas de Calnegre, Baño de las Mujeres, San Lorca Tourist Office Pedro, El Siscal, Cala Honda, Cuartel del Ciscar, Junquera, Cala de la Gruta, Cala Leña, Los Hierros, Cala Blanca and Playa Larga, although many are accessible only through agricultural exploitations.

However, in spite of its many attractions, the name of Lorca is synonymous with Easter, (Semana Santa) its biblical parades of International Tourist Interest status and famous throughout Spain. The week includes a Lorca Tourist Office series of parades in which the whites (Paso Blanco) and blues (Paso Azúl) try to outdo each other with the magnificence of their embroideries and the skill and daring of their horsemen.