Spains deserted Motorways... Prime example of Euro wastage.?

Having driven on many of France`s motorways ( mostly toll roads) and Spains ( hardly any tolls) I always chuckle in amazement and wonderment when i picked up the hire car from Murcia. Who the hell paid for all these Spanish motorways to nowhere . ?  . Have to say its nice to be on the RM3 Totana to Mazarron and similar RMs where passing another car any time of the day is almost an event .!  So who has paid for all of this ? Have the Spanish Government been openly taking the P out of  EEC funding for years. ?

Having driven on many of France`s motorways ( mostly toll roads) and Spains ( hardly any tolls) I always chuckle in amazement and wonderment when i picked up the hire car from Murcia. Who the hell paid for all these Spanish motorways to nowhere . ? . Have to say its nice to be on the RM3 Totana to Mazarron and similar RMs where passing another car any time of the day is almost an event .! So who has paid for all of this ? Have the Spanish Government been openly taking the P out of EEC funding for years. ?

Well at least they built some decent roads, could you imagine if the UK got the estimated 6billion€ plus handout every year what they would do with it...For a start plenty to Africa...Guns to Syria... Superb foreign 5 ***** hotel holidays for the ministers, so on and so on....

......I bet not one pothole would be filled in here.

 " Have the Spanish Government been openly taking the P out of EEC funding for years ? "

No.  They were built to benefit the EU as a whole. The EU finances infrastructure projects in underdeveloped regions (like Southern Spain) in order to open up new markets, build new factories, and shift goods from one part of Europe to another easily.

They initially made it a more attractive option for big industries from countries like Germany and France to relocate to places where wages are lower. For example in Cadiz they built  factories like Airbus and Visteon.  Now with the recession a lot of these places have closed and the motorways are nearly empty.   But hopefully they will come back one day.

i was just wondering if these funds might have been better spent keeping Spain ahead in Tourism . (By the way one of the countries key industries. )  Bet the Government would like these funds released again for projects like Paramount Resorts at Alhama de Murcia.

Comadreja said"They initially made it a more attractive option for big industries from countries like Germany and France to relocate to places where wages are lower."

I cant imagine Germany or France moving any jobs to Spain because wages are lower , yes maybe moving them to China or the far east.  . The "motorway subject" is still the one that interests me . Dont get me wrong I like driving on them (almost traffic free). but still cant get round WHO approved them and what justified the obvious massive financial outlay.  ? 

 Aliton, bear in mind that these motorways were first planned in the 80s and 90s when the dream of freedom of movement for goods, people and capital was still regarded as an achievable target, and there were no budgetary constraints.  Spain didn't join the EU till 1986 and its infrastructure was  in a pretty bad state, especially in the south and west of the country.  It made sense to bring it up to the level of the more prosperous member states.

Personally I think tourism is one of the industries that really does benefit from a good road and rail network.  Not just tourists from overseas - Spaniards from Madrid can now get to the coast by lunchtime!

What really is a waste of money is the various airports built as prestige projects by local politicians and still unused (like Castellón in Valencia).  But we can't lay that at the door of the EU.

comadreja.

Thanks for the reply.

Yes good points you make however it still puzzles me as to why SO MANY motorways seem to  link to the  same geographic areas.  You can understand autobahns in Germany which is the powerhouse of Industry in Europe where these roads are justified and of course the FRENCH make toll charges for most motrways users . It costs about 80 Euros toll charges to drive from Dunkirk to border of Spain and then its almost free down to the South of Spain.

COMADREJA SAID..."Spain didn't join the EU till 1986 and its infrastructure was in a pretty bad state, especially in the south and west of the country. It made sense to bring it up to the level of the more prosperous member states."  ( do you mean to the South and EAST) ie the Costas where most population lives ?

Also .Most of these major road projects around Murcia,Cartegena,Almeria Mazarron have been completed in the last 10 years or so when Spain is member of the EEC . So I just wonder "who paid for them" the EU.... so that Madrids residents can cut journer time to coast by two hours ?

Aliton, they might have been completed in the past ten years but they were planned a long time before that.

I referred to the south and west of Spain which were (and still are) economically the poorest areas of Spain.  So most of the EU regional development funds were directed there.

Isn't the Murcia/Almeria region you mention one of the prime areas of Europe for agricultural production?  Aren't all those cucumbers and tomatoes heading to northern Europe by road?

Next time im in Sainsburys buying my tomatoes ill think of the fantastic roads that brought them to us.

Spain

Spain's national highway system dates back to the era of King Carlos III. The roads built at this time, radiating from Madrid, form the basis for the carreteras nacionales radiales, numbered clockwise from I to VI, which radiate from Madrid to major ports or border crossings. In the 1960s Spain started to construct autopistas (toll highways) and autovías (freeways), and in 2007 had 14,689 km of highways, the biggest network in Europe and the third in the world, only after the USA and China.

So Spain has biggest network in Europe and the third largest network of highways in the world..

All I can say is at least something was done with "some" of the money, if it hadn't been spent on roads someone would have found a way to steal it and take it out of the country. Although I am still pretty sure someone "over paid" to get them done built. Sure they are not being used now but they have been in the past and will be in the future, so for the mean time  just enjoy them! :) Spain should be proud of its road, train and air infrastructure, it is second to none and the foundation for any future economy growth, so fingers crossed they will be put to use soon.

Yes Ian, its a good point that this will , longer term, help to support any expansion plans in Spain once the economy turns a corner.  And  for the forthcoming years tourists and Spainish citizens can enjoy travel without the dreaded long tailbacks which the rest of Europe has to suffer. 

Probably what the Uk was like when motorways first openend ( M6 Preston 1958 )... now look at them 24 hour use.

Have you ever been to Cornwall on the M5 in the summer.?