ON MAY 8 ADIF’s Talgo BT track recording train began verification runs over the Camp de Tarragona - Sant Joan Desp? section of the Madrid - Barcelona high speed line. Sant Joan Desp? lies 12?km from Barcelona, and the Ministry of Development is working to have the route open as far as this city by the end of 2007.The maximum speed between Madrid and Camp de Tarragona was raised to 300?km/h on May 7, cutting the fastest end-to-end journey time to 2?h 38?min. Between Barcelona and French border, the ministry has been given approval to call tenders for civil works on 0?57?km through the city of Girona as well as the 7?48?km Borrass? - Figueres section, within a total budget of k141?2m.Tenders are also to be called for civil works on the last two sections of the high speed line between Madrid and Valencia via Motilla del Palancar (RG 4.07 p247). For the 16?1?km section between Sese?a and Torrej?n de Velasco where the line joins the Madrid - Sevilla route a budget of k110?3m has been set, while with 2?44?km in tunnel and 266?m on viaduct the 7?7?km Aranjuez - Ont?gola section has a budget of k178?8m.On the Bilbao branch of the Y-shaped network that will connect this city with Vitoria and San Sebasti?n, tenders are to be called for civil works on two sections between Lemoa and Amorebieta/Etxano with a total of length of 8?48?km. The combined budget is k147?8m.?n

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