PENINSULA | WHAT THE MEDIA SAYS EL MUNDO ANDALUCIA
15/09/2006
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BÁRBARA ALCALDE
The world’s longest cable car will link Granada to the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The project, which is planned for 2010, is backed by a €150 million investment. Granada, Spain.- From 2010,
the province’s economic activity by
the Sierra Nevada mountain range
around 1%, will result in an “environmental
will have the longest cable car in the
saving” of approximately €500,000
world, linking the mountain range to
per year. This will be as a result of the
Granada city. The railway will be able
new way of accessing the mountains,
to carry 3,600 people per hour on a
which at the moment can only be
40-minute journey.
reached by road.
The project has an investment of
As emphasised by some of its
over €150 million, thanks to the
promoters, this initiative will turn
commitment of its developer, the
Granada into a point of reference for
company Teleférico Sierra Nevada S.A.,
tourism worldwide, and will compliment
which is comprised of private companies
the city’s other attractions such as the
from the Granada area which are
mountains themselves, the Alhambra
hoping that this new infrastructure will
and the Science Park.
boost employment and tourism in the Nasrid city.
The first proposal to link the city to the Sierra Nevada mountain range
The journey will start at Los
was made in the early 20th century,
Cármenes stadium in Granada city
and was based on the creation of a
and end at Pradollano, with four
set of funicular railways which never
intermediate stops at Huetor Vega,
went ahead. This ambitious cable
Monachil, El Purche and Tajo del Zorro.
railway project is therefore an attempt
The cable car will have over 100 cabins with capacity for 30 people
to achieve a historic aim. In addition to the private initiative,
each, and will be fitted with every
the project also has the backing of
available security system and even
several public institutions, which have
with heating and air conditioning
highlighted the importance of having
facilities.
this type of transport infrastructure.
The initiative, which will respect
F u r t h e r more, ac c ordin g t o a
the environment throughout the
survey presented yesterday by Juan
twelve hectares it will occupy and will
Antonio López, the Chairman of the
at no time encroach on the Sierra
company which has driven the project,
Nevada National Park, will overcome
nine out of every ten inhabitants of
the 1,500 height difference between
Granada who took part in the survey
the city and the ski resort.
were in favour of the cable car, and a
The cable car, which will create over 2,000 jobs and increase
majority believed that this will be “very important” for Granada.