Finally, the main conclusions that can be drawn are:
Connection on the Spanish side with the Catalan regions:
What can it bring us?
1. New alternative connection Andorra, Puigcerdà, Barcelona.
2. Transport of passengers who are not currently visiting us or travel by bus or own vehicle.
3. Lighten the entry of traffic on the current road, well understood in the case that it entered directly into Andorra.
Disadvantages:
1. The flow, origin and profile of tourism will remain basically the same.
2. For all residents of Andorra it does not bring any advantage, since the duration of the trip, for example to Barcelona, would be much longer, with frequent stops and, therefore, you would continue to use your own vehicle or the bus.
3. I think that it is also not in Andorra’s interest for the rail connection to end at La Seu d’Urgell and for the rest of the journey to continue via bus or another alternative means.
Since in this case the problem of queues and detentions at the border would continue.
The fact of a possible connection of La Seu d’Urgell – Andorra by means of a tram style would, in a certain way, soften this last section of connection, but we believe that it is also a complex issue that needs to be analyzed separately.
Connection on the French side with Occitania:
What can it bring us?
1. Also a new alternative connection Andorra, Puigcerdà, Barcelona.
2. It facilitates the arrival of new tourism from the northern part of France and other EU countries that already have a culture of rail transport…
3. It facilitates the transport and access of our young students to French university centers and, at the same time, it makes it more attractive for them to do their university studies in France, where the enrollment and other costs are more advantageous and, at the same time, the fact of having Andorran nationality does not represent any complication or impediment for them to reside or work.
4. New connection alternative with Toulouse, Bordeaux-Paris, Montpellier-Nimes-Lyon, all connected by means of high-speed trains (TGV) and directly with the railway networks of Europe.
5. The isolation of Andorra from France due to weather reasons common in winter is solved and also, to a large extent, the risk of being nestled in a mountainous environment, without forgetting, in case of need, the already existing connection option of the Hospital with Puigcerdà.
6. It encourages the presence of border workers from the neighboring areas of Occitania who are currently not attracted to come due to poor road communication.
7. It brings us closer to the balance of cultural and labor influences with France.
8. A new access road to Toulouse opens.
9. The current and unique connection that we only have by vehicle to Toulouse is improved.
10. Substantially improves the connection with Toulouse-Blagnac airport, considered today one of the most important in France and a connecting platform with the main international airports.
11. It gives us more guarantees of non-blockade like what we already suffered for Catalonia during the COVID-19 and for other political conflicts of a regional nature and politicians outside of Andorra.
12. It gives us more guarantees of support, balance and political security.
I hope that this summary on the possibilities of rail connections will not only reopen the debate on this possible option of DISENGALING Andorra, but that it will be possible to carry out this basically joint study between Andorra, France, Spain and the EU bodies that can support us.
The lack of connections or the poor condition and maintenance of some of them are usually attributed to the lack of interest of the neighboring states, but, in my opinion, if we are sincere and pragmatic, much of the fault is entirely ours for the lack of interest that has always been applied to certain issues that are more important and necessary.
Unfortunately, it has recently been said that one of the reasons for the decrease in the influx of shopping tourism that Pas de la Casa is suffering from is due to poor communications compared to the ease they have with other border points. The rail connection would certainly also help to recover this lost affluence.
Now there is more talk about the means of internal transport within Andorra, the tram, or any other name we want to call it. I celebrate it and I hope that it will be carried out and become a reality very soon.
But the question is how long ago this need was put on the table in Andorra. For decades there has been talk of having a public transport system on rails (such as a tram, light rail or even an “aerial train” type cable car), but no project has been built.
The first ideas were found in the years 1970-1990, that is to say, more than 50 years ago… In 2000, the topic was taken up again and everything remained the same.
What is the explanation for “doing nothing”?
-Several governments have studied ideas, but none has prioritized the need;
-In other words, there is a lack of vision and strategy for the future, which is why we are already suffering from widespread urban traffic congestion throughout the country.
Need for a national heliport within Andorra:
– The Government’s political debate started in 2016, that is to say, we have already delayed 10 years.
I apologize if the letter was long, I tried to summarize my explanation as much as possible, but I also think that it was necessary to make known the most important points of the work that was carried out with the collaboration of the chambers of commerce of both Occitania and Catalonia and Andorra, and other related bodies.
Decentralization is not only synonymous with geographical communications.
Unlocking is also synonymous with respect, recognition and guarantee of safety.
Finally, I must also comment that, at a certain point, the COPRÍNCEP MACRON called us directly to the CCIS through an emissary of his with the only message that we could count on his full support and the advice that we could need to carry out the necessary studies, evaluations and other doubts that we might have in order to be able to carry out both the new RAIL CONNECTION and the AIR CONNECTION, since he considered that they were two very important goals for Andorra.
To finish, I would like to remind you that in the recent speech made by our FRANCIS COPRÈCE MACRON, in a special way, he remarked that it was necessary for Andorra to improve its land connections and especially to open new ones via rail and air connections, since these were an important guarantee of non-dependence.
