Ronda exMayor and three Councillors charged in corruption cases

Antonio María Marín Lara (l.), arrested
(Photo: El País / Julián Rojas)

RONDA (Agencies) It took the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's officials and a host of National Policemen nine hours to search the Town Hall and Town Planning offices of Ronda Council in an operation that ended with the arrest of seven people and confiscation of what one paper calls 'abundant documentation'. Chief among the detainees is Antonio María Marín Lara, former Mayor of Ronda and present PSOE Councillor. Another three are are implicated in an alleged network of corruption that operated among the previous corporation of the Málaga town. Among the charges against them are those of perversion of the course of justice, bribery, peddling of political influence, embezzlement, forging documents and money laundering. The PSOE was in power from September 2004 until the last local elections of May 22. Among those detained are also a local lawyer and two directors of the Eroski supermarket chain. The operation, dubbed Acinipo after an archaeological site in the area,>>>

Algeciras - Ronda train service reopens

Work on the railway line between Algeciras and Ronda has finished. Trains are now running between Algeciras and the Bobadilla hub and beyond. Although the Ronda-Bobadilla section has yet to be finalised, this will not impact the service. Aside from replacing timber sleepers and electrifying the line (the last one left in Spain to do so), work has also been carried to reinforce prevention of landslides and improve crossings along the line. The first trains to arrive at Algeciras yesterday morning came from Granada, Madrid and Ronda. The alternative bus routes are now cancelled.

Algeciras - Ronda railway line to re-open on April 23

According to ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias), the railway line administrator agency, the connection between Algeciras and Ronda is to be re-opened to traffic on April 23. They report that  over 85% of the work is completed and the remaining 15% or so can be carried out without closing the line to passenger or cargo trains. Modernization included work on the infrastructure and superstructure of the line 'in preparation for electrifying' it at a later date. Forteen tunnels had to be reinforced  (photo: EuropaSur)and all the wooden sleepers have been replaced. The line has been closed since October 26 last year and some delays occurred due to inclement weather.

Algeciras - Ronda railway 'to be re-opened at end of March or beginning April'

(Photo: EuropaSur) The president of Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF), Antonio González Marín, said yesterday that he expects the line between Algeciras and Ronda to be re-opened by the end of March or beginning of April. He added that although his company "has no control over the weather" he was well pleased with progress, which he quantified as 70% completed. González Marín made the statement during an extensive visit to the line yesterday.

Estación de San Roque by-pass opened yesterday

(Agencies / Photo: EuropaSur) The new by-pass road that leads from Miraflores up behind Estación de San Roque toward Castellar, Jimena, Gaucín and Ronda was opened officially yesterday by the Junta's Councillor for Publc Works, Rosa Aguilar. It connects the A-7 coast road with the A-405 without having to traverse Taraguilla or Estación de San Roque and the railway crossing there; and will allow better connections for Section 2 of the Zona de Actividades Logísticas (ZAL) presently under construction. Present at the inauguration, too, were a number of political and business personalities of the Campo de Gibraltar. (See more -and map- on CampoPulse)

Algeciras-Madrid train service to be suspended for at least three months

(Agencies) The Algeciras-Madrid-Algeciras train line is to be suspended for at least three months because the track between Algeciras and Bobadilla is being replaced, acording to Renfe. An alternative bus service linking Algeciras with Málaga, Ronda and/or Bobadilla will be set up. There is no firm date as to when work is to begin, but it will probably be on or around the 25th or 26th of this month.