Plaza Mayor train station. Credit: Renfe
Renfe has set aside €1,200,000 to work on improving five stations on the C1 Cercanías line from Malaga, including Plaza Mayor, Victoria Kent, Malaga Centro Alameda, Torreblanca and Montemar Alto. The projects are planned to deliver stations with better comfort, accessibility, safety and functionality for the over 28,500 daily passengers who use the 104 services on the line.
Upgrades progress at five Costa del Sol stations
Works already started at Plaza Mayor on July 6. Victoria Kent station activity is planned to begin in mid-July; Malaga Centro Alameda improvements follow later in July. Torreblanca and Montemar Alto will see works start progressively through the month. All sites stay operational during construction.
Focus on accessibility at Victoria Kent and Alameda stations
Victoria Kent is to receive attention to accessibility, lighting and safety in the concourse and on the platforms. There will be long-awaited works to replace damaged lights and glass, add better grip on paths, renew handrails with double grips and fit anti-slip strips on steps. Malaga Centro Alameda sees renewal of finishes; LED lighting, signage improvements, damp control and anti-slip stair features are also included in the plans.
Additional C1 route improvements underway or planned
Plans will eventually extend to other stations on the C1 route. Five halts are adapted for 100-metre trains, including Los Boliches, Carvajal, El Pinillo, Plaza Mayor and Centro Alameda. Benalmadena station platforms extend to 200 metres. Duplication of the track between the airport and Campamento Benitez is hoped to be better reliability. Other studies cover duplications in Torremolinos to El Pinillo and Benalmadena to Campo de Golf sections.
Capacity increase targets 60 per cent and 15-minute intervals
Ministry of Transport plans seek to raise C1 capacity by 60 per cent and cut train intervals from 20 to 15 minutes. Signalling and control system renewals are going ahead, and it is hoped that more than 14 million users will benefit from Malaga Cercanias improvements.
Alora double track restoration to increase capacity
Double track working returns in the Alora area from July 17 after repairs to February storm damage. One track reopened in April. Remaining tasks are to complete electrification, safety and drainage elements.
