The Spanish government announces an additional investment of 1.7 billion euros for commuter rail.

The Spanish government is making a move. The Secretary of State for Transport, José Antonio Santano, announced on Monday an agreement with the Catalan government to expand the Commuter Rail Plan and assured that "it must reach 8 billion euros." The current investment, established until 2030, is around 6.3 billion euros, of which some 2.5 billion have already been spent; therefore, this would represent an additional investment of 1.7 billion euros for commuter rail. In an interview with ACN, Santano explained that more details will be given "shortly" in a public appearance. This is, therefore, the second major decision of the day after a week of rail chaos in Catalonia. The first was the dismissal of the Commuter Rail Operations Director, Josep Enric Garcia Alemany, and the Adif Operations Director, Raúl Míguez Bailo, announced minutes after the Catalan government demanded them. And these, Santano explained, will be, for now, the only ones. "They haven't lived up to expectations," he pointed out, referring to the role of Renfe and Adif in the railway crisis. "We don't want to point fingers, but it was undeniable that, if we want to move forward, there had to be a turning point and an acceptance of responsibility," he added. As the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has done on other occasions, Santano acknowledged that the commuter rail network is old and has suffered "many years of underinvestment." The solutions, he indicated, "aren't immediate." "We need time for an investment of this magnitude and those we have pending to provide the system that Catalonia needs," he stressed. In this regard, he noted that 330 workers are currently working on-site to reinforce the tracks and the railway infrastructure in anticipation of another week in which rain is also expected. Centered on Adamuz

According to Santano, Transport Minister Óscar Puente's absence from Catalonia is due to the fatal accident a week ago in Córdoba. "He is focused" on the Adamuz accident, which left 45 dead, he explained. "We must stop making noise and get down to solving things," he maintained, ruling out the possibility that Puente should resign for his handling of the two rail crises of recent days. Regarding relations with the Catalan government, he doesn't believe this crisis has damaged them. In fact, he sees an "opportunity to improve" and believes that collaboration with the Catalan government has emerged "strengthened." When asked about a possible acceleration of the timetable for the transfer of the commuter rail network, he indicated that they would have to discuss it with the Catalan government, but made it clear that they don't feel the established plan is "slow." "The transfer is underway," he concluded.