Pimec calls for a national railway pact that goes "beyond commuter rail"

BarcelonaThe rail chaos of recent weeks has not only affected commuter rail users. It has also impacted Catalan production, with freight lines closed for days. This disruption is expected to continue. it lengthens Because of the improvement works to be carried out, Pimec demands that the push for a national railway pact go "beyond commuter rail" and address the entire network in a comprehensive way, including regional trains, freight trains and strategic connections.

"We need to move from reactive responses to a national project, with rigorous and shared planning that provides stability to the railway system," argued Ignasi Sayol, president of Pimec Logística, after meeting with the Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque. Therefore, the organization, chaired by Antoni Cañete, advocates establishing short-, medium-, and long-term measures, in addition to defining a timeline and implementation commitments, always placing "the safety of people, the reliability of the service, and the continuity of economic activity" at the heart of any roadmap. This request coincides with that made by the Port of Barcelona. affected Due to the closure of the Rubí tunnel, a key piece of infrastructure for goods entering Europe, a contingency plan is needed to establish protocols for future operations and to reinforce and accelerate pending investments. "It is necessary to continue positioning Catalonia as a logistics hub in southern Europe and to protect economic activity," the Port Authority stated.

"It cannot be a bargaining chip."

Pimec also calls for avoiding opportunistic politics during this crisis. "The railway network cannot be a bargaining chip or a political battleground; it is a key infrastructure for the country's progress, territorial cohesion, and green transition," Sayol emphasized. However, the organization is committed to building broad consensus among the various political parties, administrations, and social stakeholders who also advocate for the railway and its economic impact.