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Spain exports its high-tech know-how in public transport

Posted: 3 September 2012 | Pedro Fortea, Director, MAFEX | No comments yet

In recent years, the Spanish rail industry has been at the forefront of the greatest public transport advances seen in the country’s main cities – a result of the firm commitment to R&D and the return of transport modes such as the tramway, as well as the implementation of new and modern underground networks. There has been a change in urban mobility material, with a firm commitment to railways.

The advances made towards public transport based on underground, tramway, suburban and medium- and long-distance rail connections between cities has contributed to a reduction in the use of private road vehicles and a reduction in CO2 emissions.

In recent years, the Spanish rail industry has been at the forefront of the greatest public transport advances seen in the country’s main cities – a result of the firm commitment to R&D and the return of transport modes such as the tramway, as well as the implementation of new and modern underground networks. There has been a change in urban mobility material, with a firm commitment to railways. The advances made towards public transport based on underground, tramway, suburban and medium- and long-distance rail connections between cities has contributed to a reduction in the use of private road vehicles and a reduction in CO2 emissions.

In recent years, the Spanish rail industry has been at the forefront of the greatest public transport advances seen in the country’s main cities – a result of the firm commitment to R&D and the return of transport modes such as the tramway, as well as the implementation of new and modern underground networks. There has been a change in urban mobility material, with a firm commitment to railways.

The advances made towards public transport based on underground, tramway, suburban and medium- and long-distance rail connections between cities has contributed to a reduction in the use of private road vehicles and a reduction in CO2 emissions.

Modern cities with innovative transport networks

The main cities in Spain all have high-quality rail and public transport systems, equipped with the latest innovations in rolling stock, equipment and facilities. The Spanish network has significantly grown over the last decade, with railways being particularly important given their economic and environmental advantages.

Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville, Bilbao, Vitoria, Tenerife, Palma de Mallorca, Zaragoza, Málaga, Murcia, Alicante and Cádiz all have modern underground and tram networks, with Granada and Málaga among others expanding their lines in the years to come.

With construction and commissioning of new infrastructures, the Spanish rail industry has gained significant expertise coupled with a unique understanding of implementing public transport networks and construction of rolling stock and auxiliary equipment; knowledge that other urban mobility projects throughout the world are learning from.

The solutions provided by the Spanish rail industry have significantly increased in such markets as America, contributing to the implementation of connection modes like the Buenavista-Cuautitlán suburban train in Mexico, a turnkey project integrally managed from the coordination of works, to the delivery of rolling stock and operation. Also, Spanish technology has been implemented in infor – mation, ticketing, and communications systems, and rolling stock in the development of new underground and suburban connections in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela, among others. North America is now a significant marketplace for the Spanish sector where companies are rapidly increasing their market share and have already gained prominence for large projects such as future high-speed lines.

Beyond our frontiers, the technological advances of the Spanish rail sector have conquered countries in Africa, Asia and Australasia, where they have become the main suppliers for solutions concerning engineering, infrastructure, rolling stock and equipment supply. In Turkey, for instance, Spanish companies have been responsible for the country’s first high-speed line as well as for the implementation of modern tram networks through which the public transport in such cities as Izmir has been strengthened. In addition, Saudi Arabia has recently awarded the construction of the high-speed line between Medina and Mecca to a Spanish-Saudi con – sortium; a historic milestone, for it is the biggest foreign contract awarded to Spain, and has become the clearest sign of our sector’s export – ing effort, particularly in recent years, based on a strategy with internationalisation as the main business objective.

The Indian and Chinese marketplaces are other areas where the Spanish industry has made its mark, and progress in Europe has also been positive. At present, MAFEX’s companies are involved in long-distance and highspeed projects in Russia plus the upgrade and expansion of underground, trams and suburban lines in the United Kingdom, France, Hungary, and Poland.

The rail industry is a high-tech sector with technological solutions advancing all the time: latest generation trains, sophisticated materials, environmentally-friendly components, inno – vative communication systems, and qualified services in the engineering or consulting areas.

MAFEX, external promotion as the key to growth

In the middle of the international expansion process, the role of such associations as MAFEX is essential to promote the consolidation of the Spanish rail industry throughout the world. The way to achieve such objectives is through a broad agenda of bilateral meetings, trade delegations and participation in the main sector’s professional forums throughout the world.