Will you support the campaign for a train all the way along the Costa del Sol? Sign the petition here

For a train along the Costa del Sol. This is the title of a campaign launched by SUR to show its commitment to the future of mobility and sustainable development in Malaga province.

The aim is to demonstrate to the Spanish government - the authority responsible for railway infrastructure - how the people of Malaga province are crying out for the necessary and urgent construction of a coastal railway line that reaches Marbella and Estepona, following decades of neglect from politicians.

The initiative had attracted more than 500 signatures even before its official launch, with signatures from well-known personalities in the business world, tourism, technology, transport, engineering and public works sectors.

Once the campaign achieves massive public support, as can be expected if initial reactions are anything to go by, all the signatures will be sent to the heads of the Spanish government and the ministry of transport, making them aware of the need to build a coastal railway linking Malaga city to the western strip of the Costa del Sol.

The petition, which you can sign here, reminds us that the coastal strip of the Costa del Sol has become one large urban area with one and a half million registered inhabitants, to which must be added the fourteen million tourists who visit the destination every year, and the tens of thousands of temporary residents, both nationals and foreigners.

This large metropolitan area is already one of the areas in Europe with the greatest growth potential, having established itself as one of the best places in the world to live and work. However, this situation causes a series of demands and tensions in terms of sustainability and infrastructures, which need to be solved and addressed by all public administrations.

Along with employment and access to housing, mobility is the main challenge facing Malaga province. There is a growing need to reduce congestion on roads and pollutant gas emissions, an objective that cannot be achieved without a public transport network that meets the demand of population density, tourist flow and economic activity. Malaga, which has become one of the country's major destinations, is lacking in its rail network, a deficit that requires decisive action and investment.

As SUR understands it, the initiative for a coastal train should serve not only to connect the city and towns of the Costa del Sol, from Nerja to Estepona, but also to plan a future extension to Gibraltar. With this campaign, this newspaper intends to voice what is an open secret: that this request is massively supported by the people of Malaga, among whom there is a similar consensus as there was in the past for the implementation of the University of Malaga (UMA), for the arrival of the AVE high-speed train or for the Museum of Fine Arts in the old Aduana building. Now the people are aware of the importance of a railway connection along the entire Costa del Sol.

Now, the Spanish government - which has the decision-making capacity and powers - and the rest of the public administrations, whatever political colour they may be, must be receptive to this need. And our public representatives must understand this people's demand as their own, put aside their differences and join forces to achieve the goal of a better, more sustainable, more supportive and fairer Malaga.