TAV Turin-Lyon high-speed rail link costs around 7bn too much, transport ministry says
Staff Writer |
The controversial TAV Turin-Lyon high-speed rail link has a negative cost-benefit balance of around seven to eight billion euros, according to a hotly awaited new analysis that the transport and infrastructure ministry published on its website on Tuesday.
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It said that, according to the 'realistic' scenario of the project's current net economic value, the balance is between -6.995 billion euros and -7.949 billion. It said that even with the option of the so-called mini-TAV, which would not feature a section between Avigliana and Orbassano, the project would have a negative cost-benefit balance of -6.138 billion and -7.093 billion, Ansa reported.
The government has said the analysis will have a bearing on whether it decides to press ahead with the project or not.
The 5-Star Movement (M5S) of Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli and Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, the M5S leader, has long been opposed to the project due to its cost and environmental impact.
But League leader and fellow Deputy Premier Salvini has said the TAV should go ahead and had mooted the idea of holding a referendum on it if the cost-benefit analysis was negative.
The analysis said that, if the project were ditched, the penalties and reimbursements the State would have to fork out would be around 4.2 billion euros at most. It said that going ahead, on the other hand, would cost the State between 10 and 11.6 billion euros for investment and administration spending.
"As everyone can see for themselves, the numbers for the economic and transport analysis are extremely negative, merciless, I'd say," Toninelli said.
"I want to say clearly that the negative assessment of the Turin-Lyon is not against the EU or against France.
"Naturally, the final decision is now down to the government in full collegiality". Paolo Foietta, the extraordinary commissioner for the Turin-Lyon rail link, said he thinks the numbers have been manipulated.
"It seems to me that it has gone from farce to fraud," said Foietta. ■