THE board of Adif, Spain's infrastructure manager, has placed a €54m contract with Siemens Rail Automation and Thales to equip the Pajares bypass with Spain's Asfa ATP system, ERTMS and associated signalling and telecommunications equipment.

SPAIN's infrastructure manager Adif has awarded a €410m contract to Alstom to install ERTMS Level 2 signalling on 310km of high-speed line in northern Spain and to maintain the equipment for 20 years.

NATIONAL Express subsidiary Alsa last week announced it has been granted a license by the Spanish Ministry of Public Works and Transport to operate passenger trains on the Spanish main line network.

SPAIN's transport minister Mrs Ana Pastor this week unveiled further details of the liberalisation process initiated in February 2013 and confirmed the government's intention to kick-off the partial privatisation of the freight branch of Renfe in the next few months.

BASQUE metre-gauge operator EuskoTren has issued an international call for tenders for 28 emus, which will be used on Bilbao metro Line 3 and will also replace some of the oldest trains in its current fleet.

BUDAPEST Transport Centre (BKK) has placed a €90m contract with CAF, Spain, for a fleet of 37 low-floor LRVs of two types with an option for another 87 units. Delivery will start at the end of 2015.

SPANISH infrastructure manager Adif last week approved the tendering of a contract to design, install and maintain signaling and telecommunications equipment on the Madrid-Galicia high-speed rail line, with a total value of €640.8m.

SPAIN's Ministry of Transport this week confirmed a 20% increase in ridership on Renfe's AVE high-speed services during 2013, which saw passenger numbers swell to 14.5 million passengers, fuelled by the introduction of a flexible fares fare policy and the opening of two new high-speed lines during the fiscal year.

SPAIN's Ministry of Public Works (Fomento) has approved €280m of funding to equip the under-construction Grenada – Antequera high-speed line, enabling infrastructure manager Adif to invite tenders.

SPANISH infrastructure manager Adif has awarded a consortium of Alstom and Isolux Corsán a €28m contract to design, construct and maintain a traction substation and catenary system for the 44.3km link under-construction between La Robla in León and Pola de Tena, Asturias, which will eventually form part of the León to Gijon high-speed line.