(Lack of) mobility has costs today, but even more so tomorrow.
Chaos, disarray... Words fail to describe the situation on the commuter rail network following the train crash last week into a retaining wall that had collapsed onto the tracks due to heavy rains near Gelida. The accident resulted in the death of a trainee driver and injuries to 37 others. And now we have to add to the list. the blockade of goods in the ports of Barcelona and TarragonaApparently, the accident, combined with bad weather and other factors, exacerbated deficiencies that had accumulated over years.
It is clear that safety is paramount, and if it is necessary to shut down the entire network to guarantee it, it must be done. There will be time later for recriminations and for finding those responsible for the operation of a network in which Only one out of every two euros budgeted has been spent over more than a decadeBut it is also true that there are concerns about prevention, an essential way to reduce the likelihood of incidents, while acknowledging that achieving zero risk is impossible.
The latest events, including another closure of the AP-7 southbound –the main route that channels freight traffic by truck in Europe Traffic towards the Iberian Peninsula, and from Spain and even much of the Maghreb towards Europe, is increasingly complicating mobility. Traffic that cannot use this essential and often congested route is diverted to other alternatives, which are also experiencing traffic jams and other problems.
The impacts of all this have many victims. On the one hand, there are the more than 400,000 people who use commuter trains to get to work every day and who must either find alternatives or exercise their rights when they are unable to go to work. The Ministry of Labor has taken it upon itself to remind them with the consequent costs for businesses, and the Catalan government has already recommended teleworking in those activities where it is possible. Furthermore, the disruption to freight traffic is now being added, not only for those using the AP-7 motorway, but also for those blocked in the ports of Barcelona and Tarragona due to the closure of the Rubí tunnel. All of this multiplies an economic impact that has been accumulating for days. There are some estimates on the costs of this chaos, such as the one made by Pimec, which places them at around 9 million euros per day. But experts consider it premature to make calculations. The reason is that, as the president of the Catalan Economy Commission of the College of Economists of Catalonia, Josep Reyner, states, "one thing is the immediate impact" of these days, and another, "the structural impact that can result from having a service that is losing credibility and trust."
Addressing this problem must be swift, effective, and efficient to minimize the impact on users and businesses. It is not, therefore, a matter of immediate costs, which can often be resolved. The real problem is the potential for the malfunctioning and even complete shutdown of commuter and medium-distance rail services to become chronic. In this case, we are not only facing a hefty bill today, but also a blow to the country's image, productivity, and prosperity. And that is indeed costly.
