Stretching into the distance under grey skies, the only signs of life on this deserted Spanish highway are the occasional lone cyclist or pack of stray dogs. The MP-203 in Madrid has remained unfinished for six years - despite initial investment of 70 million euro in the shelved project in recession-hit Spain. Weeds can be seen growing on the surface of the abandoned route today, as it emerged the Eurozone has slumped into its longest recession ever. Weeds: An unused toll plaza on the unfinished Spanish highway is seen today, as it emerged the Eurozone has slumped into its longest recession ever . Construction workers downed tools six years ago when the 12.5km route was 70 per cent complete, due to issues with the Madrid-Barcelona high speed railway and the connection to Spain's R-3 highway. These images reveal how the project - intended to relieve congestion on the Barcelona highway (A-2) - has fallen into decline, on a day of further economic blows to the beleaguered Eurozone. Figures showed economic activity . across the region has fallen for the sixth quarter in a row - longer . than the calamitous slump that hit the region in the financial crisis of . 2008-9. Deserted: A bush grows in the middle of the surface of the unfinished highway in Madrid . Road to nowhere: Dogs wander along the MP-203 highway, which has remained unfinished for the past six years despite an initial investment of 70 million euro . Incomplete: The unfinished highway, which was devised to decongest the Barcelona highway, is cut into a cliff near Mejorada del Campo . Haunting: People ride their bikes along a road that crosses underneath the unfinished MP-203 highway . Decline: Goats are shepherded across a side road of the MP-203 near Mejorada del Campo, Spain . Shelved: Graffiti decorates a tunnel underneath the highway, which was abandoned six years ago while only 70 per cent complete . Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, . said today that nine of the 17 eurozone countries are in recession, . with France a notable addition to the list. Overall, the euro region's economy contracted 0.2 percent in the January-March period from the previous three months. Though it represents an improvement . on the previous quarter's 0.6 percent decline, it's another unwelcome . landmark for the single currency bloc as it grapples with a debt crisis . which has forced governments to slash spending and raise taxes. These austerity measures have inflicted severe economic pain and social unrest. Unemployment across the eurozone is . currently at a record of 12.1 percent - in some countries, such as . Greece, it's as high as 27.2 percent. Though this recession is not nearly . as deep as the one in 2008-9, it is the longest in the history of the . euro, which was launched in 1999. A recession is officially defined as . two straight quarters of negative growth. Deserted: A bush grows in the middle of the surface of the unfinished highway in Madrid . Barren: The multi-million euro highway was intended to provide a new route for thousands of Spanish motorists . Ghost road: Instead of cars and trucks, the highway is used by wandering sheep, dogs and goats who feed along the roadside . Sign of the times: A lone cyclist rides his bike along the MP-203 in Madrid on the same day it was confirmed that economic activity across the Eurozone has fallen for the sixth consecutive quarter . Strays: Goats stand along the roadside on the abandoned MP-203 near Mejorada del Campo, Spain . Graffiti: Unused construction materials have been painted over with graffiti in Madrid . Empty: An toll plaza stands empty of vehicles along the incomplete 12.5km route .
MP-203 highway project in Madrid has remained unfinished for six years .
70 million euro was ploughed into the project between 2005 and 2007 .
Shelved due to issues over Madrid's high-speed railway .
Deserted road used only by stray dogs, goats and sheep .
Images capture ghost road as Eurozone slumps into longest ever recession .
Stretching into the distance under grey skies, the only signs of life on this deserted Spanish highway are the occasional lone cyclist or pack of stray dogs. The MP-203 in Madrid has remained unfinished for six years - despite initial investment of 70 million euro in the shelved project in recession-hit Spain. Weeds can be seen growing on the surface of the abandoned route today, as it emerged the Eurozone has slumped into its longest recession ever. Weeds: An unused toll plaza on the unfinished Spanish highway is seen today, as it emerged the Eurozone has slumped into its longest recession ever . Construction workers downed tools six years ago when the 12.5km route was 70 per cent complete, due to issues with the Madrid-Barcelona high speed railway and the connection to Spain's R-3 highway. These images reveal how the project - intended to relieve congestion on the Barcelona highway (A-2) - has fallen into decline, on a day of further economic blows to the beleaguered Eurozone. Figures showed economic activity . across the region has fallen for the sixth quarter in a row - longer . than the calamitous slump that hit the region in the financial crisis of . 2008-9. Deserted: A bush grows in the middle of the surface of the unfinished highway in Madrid . Road to nowhere: Dogs wander along the MP-203 highway, which has remained unfinished for the past six years despite an initial investment of 70 million euro . Incomplete: The unfinished highway, which was devised to decongest the Barcelona highway, is cut into a cliff near Mejorada del Campo . Haunting: People ride their bikes along a road that crosses underneath the unfinished MP-203 highway . Decline: Goats are shepherded across a side road of the MP-203 near Mejorada del Campo, Spain . Shelved: Graffiti decorates a tunnel underneath the highway, which was abandoned six years ago while only 70 per cent complete . Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, . said today that nine of the 17 eurozone countries are in recession, . with France a notable addition to the list. Overall, the euro region's economy contracted 0.2 percent in the January-March period from the previous three months. Though it represents an improvement . on the previous quarter's 0.6 percent decline, it's another unwelcome . landmark for the single currency bloc as it grapples with a debt crisis . which has forced governments to slash spending and raise taxes. These austerity measures have inflicted severe economic pain and social unrest. Unemployment across the eurozone is . currently at a record of 12.1 percent - in some countries, such as . Greece, it's as high as 27.2 percent. Though this recession is not nearly . as deep as the one in 2008-9, it is the longest in the history of the . euro, which was launched in 1999. A recession is officially defined as . two straight quarters of negative growth. Deserted: A bush grows in the middle of the surface of the unfinished highway in Madrid . Barren: The multi-million euro highway was intended to provide a new route for thousands of Spanish motorists . Ghost road: Instead of cars and trucks, the highway is used by wandering sheep, dogs and goats who feed along the roadside . Sign of the times: A lone cyclist rides his bike along the MP-203 in Madrid on the same day it was confirmed that economic activity across the Eurozone has fallen for the sixth consecutive quarter . Strays: Goats stand along the roadside on the abandoned MP-203 near Mejorada del Campo, Spain . Graffiti: Unused construction materials have been painted over with graffiti in Madrid . Empty: An toll plaza stands empty of vehicles along the incomplete 12.5km route .
of stray dogs. The MP-203 in Madrid has remained unfinished for six years - despite initial slumped into its longest recession ever . due to issues with the Madrid-Barcelona high MP-203 highway, which has remained unfinished for of 70 million euro . Incomplete: The unfinished trucks, the highway is used by wandering sheep,