ARGENTINA: On October 25 Transport Secretary Ricardo Jaime announced a 600m pesos investment plan for 2009-11 on the Belgrano Sur commuter network in Buenos Aires. This has been operated for the government by a consortium of operators since Metropolitano was stripped of its concession on May 22 2007 (RG 6.07 p335).
The government has spent 92·7m pesos on the metre-gauge diesel network since July 2007, with monthly passenger-journeys increasing from 696 500 to 1·04 million.
A total of 328·3m pesos is to be spent on track renewals and station improvements in 2009, and spending of 227·6m pesos is projected to 2011. As well as new traction and rolling stock, maintenance and stabling facilities will be upgraded.
H Electrification of the Belgrano and San Martín networks, as well as a feasibility study for a link between the main line termini at Retiro, Once and Plaza Constitución, are among the transport projects recommended by a urban environmental plan being considered by the Buenos Aires city legislature. Further extensions to the metro system are also proposed.
