Background

This 30-year PPP project, with the Ministerio de Fomento (Ministry of Development and Public Works), consists of the design, building, financing, operation and maintenance of a new 49-km highway between Benavente and Zamora, parallel to the existing N-630, a two-lane road that will be used by local traffic.

The new A66 from Benavente to Zamora is a crucial new link in the principal highway networks of Spain and Europe.

This meant road traffic could use an uninterrupted spinal corridor of modern dualtwo-lane carriageway from Asturias in the north, to Andalucia in the south. The upgrade of this vital arm of the Trans-European road network was completed in 2015.

Stage:

In Operation

ESG/SDG Key facts

The Project a Natura 2000 protected area and implemented wildlife protection measures to protect it, such as exit
ramps to allow fauna to cross the highway, bird nest relocations and protections on power lines, wolf monitoring to assess their behaviour around the road.

The Project Company is working on improving safety of the highway.
In Q1 2025, the Project Company installed wildlife deterrent systems at all junctions, combining olfactory (repellents) and acoustic (mechanical sound deterrents) effects to keep animals away and reduce wildlife accidents.
The Project has also planted native species in erosion-prone areas to enhance soil stability and biodiversity.

SDG Achievements and Roadmap

SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy)

In 2020, 86 photovoltaic modules of 350Wp were installed, providing an annual energy saving of c. 38MWh. Since their installation, the energy produced covers, on average, 23% of the Project’s total energy consumption. Since Q4 2023 the Project Company has renewable energy supply contracts in place
representing 100% of total consumption.

SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

The Project Company contacted several suppliers to analyse the installation and monitoring of presence radars in an effort to detect unexpected events (such as the presence of animals, pedestrians, stopped vehicles, and wrong way access of vehicles).

SDG 9 (Industry, innovation, and infrastructure)

For heavy maintenance, the Project requests that suppliers use recycled / low carbon construction materials. In 2024, the planned preventive works for the structural improvement of pavements will apply techniques that allow the on-site recycling of the cement soil layer. This sustainable approach, enables the Project to reduce waste and emissions through recycling.

SDG 15 (Climate action)

The Project Company installed five double 22kW electric chargers in the maintenance center in Q1 2024 and replaced a staff vehicle with a hybrid vehicle. In Q2 2024, the Project Company replaced two more diesel vehicles by two 100% electric vans.