The AP-7 closure, a blow to the Catalan economy

BarcelonaThe closure of the AP-7 motorway caused by the Gelida train accident could last for days, according to the Catalan Traffic Service (Servei Català de Trànsit). This incident not only affects the mobility of people but also has a major impact on the transport and logistics sector, not only in Catalonia but throughout Spain. The AP-7 is the main route for freight traffic from Europe to the Iberian Peninsula and from Spain—and even much of the Maghreb—to Europe. In fact, this route is part of a corridor designated as a priority by the European Union. Furthermore, Catalonia accounts for more than 25% of Spanish exports, a large portion of which leave via this motorway. The motorway is owned by the Spanish state and, until 2021, was operated under a concession agreement with the company Abertis. With the expiration of the concession, tolls were removed, and the motorway was placed under direct state management. The removal of tolls coincided with the economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, and traffic on this road skyrocketed. According to the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, this road is "at the limit" of its operational capacity. In fact, just six months ago, the institution, headed by Josep Santacreu, was requesting an investment of over €1 billion from the government to improve its capacity and functionality. The Chamber's study highlighted that in 2019, before the pandemic, approximately 77,000 vehicles passed daily on the Papiol section in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. By 2024, after the health crisis had subsided and tolls were eliminated, traffic on this section had reached 107,700 vehicles per day. In other words, in five years, the volume had increased by 23,100 light vehicles and approximately 7,600 heavy vehicles. With this volume of traffic, it's no wonder that haulers are urging authorities to reopen the closed section of the road as soon as possible. The sector emphasizes that safety "is a priority," but asks that any necessary work be carried out "as soon as possible." The president of the Catalan Confederation of Road Transport Businesses (CETCAT), Eduard Ayach, told ACN that the alternative routes to the highway are "insufficient," and therefore he is calling for "the necessary investments" to be made to ensure there are no disruptions when incidents occur on the AP-7. CETCAT has not yet calculated the economic losses, but they indicate that disruptions "will certainly occur" and will affect businesses. "We're talking about the fact that the economic sectors have been demanding a greater expansion of the AP-7, a fourth ring road, and alternative routes for many years. We believe that mobility and infrastructure are insufficient," Ayach lamented.

Intermodality

In fact, one of the problems with the AP-7 motorway is the high volume of truck traffic. This intensity could be reduced if the Mediterranean rail corridor were completed, allowing many goods currently transported to Europe by truck to be carried by train. Indeed, the Chamber of Commerce has already highlighted that there is "a problem with our transport model," because the Mediterranean corridor—by motorway and rail—is the "backbone of our economic activity and trade" as it links the ports and production centers of the Mediterranean region. Therefore, due to the mobility of goods, the Chamber is calling for a multimodal system that links maritime, rail, and road transport. "This requires a robust rail and road infrastructure, with full complementarity between these two modes of transport," the institution states. In this respect, and among other things because the Mediterranean rail corridor is not yet finished, the market share of freight transport by rail does not reach 4%, compared to 17% in Europe. Juan Carlos Salmeron, director of the Terminus Center for Transport Studies, indicates that "the few goods we transport, or the hundred or so companies that want to transport goods by rail, are also affected by the AP-7 closure," because the closure "is affecting the industrial chain and, therefore, the Catalan economy." "There are many goods accumulating at the stations, and it is already starting to become a problem," he says.