Four operators vie for Spanish high-speed paths

Adif released its 10-year network statement for the RFIG in April, which proposed creating three high-speed packages in response to the liberalisation of the market following the introduction of the 4th Railway Package.

The deadline for submitting applications for the packages ended on October 31, with national operator Renfe submitting a bid for the largest package of paths available. French National Railways (SNCF), an alliance between Talgo and Globalia, and Air Nostrum rail subsidiary Intermodalidad de Levante (Ilsa) working with Italian national operator Trenitalia, have all submitted bids to operate open-access services on the Spanish network.

The bids will now be analysed by Adif’s appraisal commission in accordance with a planned procedure aimed at guaranteeing transparent, objective and non-discriminatory access to the RFIG. The commission is made up of three teams of Adif technicians, focusing on the administrative, financial and technical aspects of applications.

During the analysis phase, the bids will be assessed on four points: administrative compliance, financial capacity, technical capacity and compatibility between requests.

Adif’s board of directors will then issue a resolution in December announcing the successful candidates to establish framework capacity agreements. The agreements will be subject to approval from the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC).

The signing of the framework agreements must then take place within three months from the awarding of the framework capacity, with this deadline scheduled to be March 15 2020.