ITALIAN Transport Minister Claudio Burlando has signed an agreement with Mayor of Firenze Mario Primicerio paving the way for construction of a tunnel to carry the Roma - Milano high speed line under the city. High-speed project manager Italferr TAV SiS and Italian State Railways are party to the agreement, together with the national, regional and local governments.
FS has been negotiating for many years over the need for a through station on the high-speed corridor to eliminate the reversal at Firenze’s Santa Maria Novella terminus. The 1500bn lire package now agreed includes 1084bn for the tunnel works and 330bn for other rail investment around the city - including a new light rail network.
A 7 km cross-city tunnel will provide the vital link between the completed Roma - Firenze direttissima and the Firenze - Bologna section now under construction. It will include a low-level through station alongside SMN, which will continue to handle local services. The two stations will be connected to form a single interchange.
Another 53bn lire will go on upgrading other stations in the region, with improved interchange between local trains and other urban public transport. Greater segregation of existing rail tracks will account for 128bn lire, and 149bn has been allocated for the construction of two light rail lines.
- FS has sold a 61% stake in its communications subsidiary Tele Sistemi Ferroviari to Finsiel, part of the STET group, for 125bn lire. o
