Ada Colau, the Frente Amplio candidate for prime minister, has called for a state pact on Spain’s railway system that would include the reunification of Renfe and Adif under a major public operator responsible for leading the country’s rail infrastructure.
Colau made the proposal in Barcelona after meeting representatives of the main trade unions in Spain’s state railway sector. Her remarks come as political pressure grows on the government following the accident in Urda, Toledo, which caused 69 deaths, and amid calls for Transport Minister Óscar Puente to resign.
The Comuns-Frente Amplio candidate for Barcelona in the 29 November general election said that, beyond establishing political responsibility for the crash, citizens were demanding solutions. She urged political parties to cooperate to restore public confidence in rail transport and proposed that negotiations on a state pact begin the day after the election.
Colau said the agreement should include an independent audit of the condition of the entire railway infrastructure. She also argued that separating Renfe and Adif had been a mistake, saying that an essential service should not have two operators that could apply different protocols during critical situations.
Her proposals also include reversing the outsourcing of areas such as maintenance, increasing staffing levels and improving training. To raise funding for the railway system, including commuter services, she suggested putting airport expansion projects on hold.
Colau reiterated that political responsibility must be assumed after the accident, citing the need for humanity and empathy towards the victims. However, she left any decision on Puente’s position to the minister and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, while stressing the importance of focusing on solutions through dialogue and cooperation rather than partisan interests.
Asked about the possibility of suspending high-speed services between Madrid and Barcelona while works are carried out on the line, Colau said specific measures should be discussed at a later stage. She noted that several options existed, including carrying out maintenance at night or temporarily running fewer trains.
Sources: elDiario.es.