Marbella mayor claims her town is the only place in Spain 'with more than 150,000 inhabitants that does not have a train'

Marbella and Estepona are the two large towns on the Costa del Sol most affected by the lack of a rail link to Malaga city. Both are growing at a faster rate than their current infrastructure and last year they were already the fourth and second towns respectively, with the highest percentage of population growth in Spain.

Their strong tourist appeal and the technological and economic development they are experiencing only adds to the transport problem. The two town halls have repeatedly demanded a solution and the development of this "necessary" project for the Costa del Sol.

In the case of Marbella, the mayor Ángeles Muñoz has pointed out on several occasions that "it is the only Spanish town with more than 150,000 inhabitants that does not have a train" and has publicly requested dialogue to develop this infrastructure.

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"The coastal train should not be a political issue, it is a question of strategy and absolute necessity," she has said, while at the same time asking the government "to liberalise the toll motorway until the project materialises, as it is an essential initiative due to the collapse of the A-7 motorway".

The mayor pointed out that a region that is "registering spectacular growth must be given all the tools to prevent it from doing so in a disorderly manner", while arguing that "Marbella is suffering a comparative disadvantage compared to other Spanish towns with the same population density".

The Mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano has also pointed out that his town is one of the three municipalities that has grown the most in Spain in terms of population and has insisted that it needs a train connection.

He also stressed that the growth experienced by the region must be accompanied by modern and competitive facilities, such as a railway axis that links this area, which receives millions of tourists every year.