There is silence and concentration. A screen of more than 10 meters, from one end of the room to the other, with the diagram of all the trains currently in circulation and 14 workstations. Each one is controlled by a supervisor, who monitors an area of the Catalan network. It is the already famous Barcelona Traffic Control Center (CRC), which depends on the infrastructure manager Adif and is located at the França station. Yesterday, its managers explained, from the inside, how all this machinery that directs the circulation of commuter trains and freight trains that pass through the conventional network works.

The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, met this morning at first light with the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, at Palau, to address the situation in which Renfe's commuter service in Catalonia has been immersed since the crisis opened in January, with the accidents in Adamuz and Gelida. This is the first meeting between the two leaders since the railway crisis broke out, almost three months ago. Puente and Illa arranged this meeting by taking advantage of the fact that the minister has been in Barcelona since yesterday because he attended the first edition of the AENA literary awards last night.

Surveys are often published asking the population, or specific groups, what issues concern them most. Rarely are the results surprising. This lack of surprise is basically due to two principles: media intensity and proximity. The media intensity principle states that the more coverage an issue receives in the media, the more relevant we perceive it to be. The proximity principle, for its part, operates when the problem directly affects our daily lives or those of someone close to us.

Problems are piling up on the R2 Sud Rodalies line, in Garraf, since the tunnel maintenance works began two weeks ago. The alternative transport plan designed to ensure train circulation while the work continues is not working. The reason? Some of the drivers have refused to work with the new schedules defined by Renfe for this operation, which has rendered the new timetable for the trains useless, as they now run on a single track due to the works. The Spanish drivers' union Semaf alleges that the company did not comply with the established deadlines to give sufficient notice of the changes.

This Sunday's gale caused 1,098 calls to the 112 emergency telephone number and 721 alerts to the Generalitat Firefighters between Saturday and Sunday evening. Most were concentrated in the Girona demarcation – the area most affected by the wind is Baix Empordà – but there were also some incidents in other locations. Eight people were also injured, none seriously, as a result of the wind.

We arrive at Easter, at the school holidays, the departure operations and the monas, stating that the return will be tough. Everything is rising due to the war in Iran, and since the end of the war is not in sight, the damage to our pockets from this inflation will last for a few weeks, at least. Yesterday evening, Trump pulled ten more days of ultimatum deadline out of the hat for the ayatollahs, while he systematically lies every day (and a lot, because he doesn't stop talking) just to prevent oil from continuing to rise in price and the stock markets from continuing to sink. He just keeps saying the war is won, but the Strait of Hormuz continues to be dominated by Iran, and the regime has not fallen. Meanwhile, in Spanish politics, there has been the announced change that could influence the future of the common financing system that applies to us. Yesterday, Vice President Montero resigned to go to Andalusia and his replacement will be Carlos Cuerpo, until now Minister of Finance. A doctor in economics, polyglot, technician, he does not have a PSOE membership card, a man who does not shout, an economist prepared to sit in Brussels or Washington or wherever; nothing to do with the mercurial Montero. And his place at the Ministry of Finance is taken by Arcadi España, a Valencian from President Ximo Puig's circle, who considers himself a federalist, who has often denounced how poorly funded the Valencian Community is, and who will have to move forward, seemingly with conviction, with the new system agreed with Esquerra. They say that in the PSC they are happy with España's appointment. But however federalist and aware he may be of the poor funding of the Valencian Community, can a socialist minister change anything about the distribution of money? This is the big question and the precedents are not precisely reassuring.

We arrive at Holy Week, school holidays, departure operations and the "monas" affirming that the return will be tough. Everything is rising due to the war in Iran, and since the end of the war is not in sight, the damage to our pockets from this inflation will last for a few weeks, at least. Last night, Trump pulled ten more days out of his hat for the ultimatum to the ayatollahs, while he systematically lies every day (and a lot, because he doesn't stop talking) just to prevent oil from continuing to rise in price and stock markets from continuing to fall. He just keeps saying that the war is won, but the Strait of Hormuz continues to be dominated by Iran, and the regime has not fallen. Meanwhile, in Spanish politics, there has been the announced change that could influence the future of the common financing system that applies to us. Yesterday, Vice President Montero resigned to go to Andalusia and his replacement will be Carlos Cuerpo, until now Minister of Finance. A doctor in economics, multilingual, technical, he does not have a PSOE party card, a man who does not shout, an economist prepared to sit in Brussels or Washington or wherever; nothing to do with the mercurial Montero. And his place at the Ministry of Finance is taken by Arcadi España, a Valencian from President Ximo Puig's circle, who considers himself a federalist, who has often denounced how poorly financed the Valencian Community is, and who will have to move forward, seemingly with conviction, with the new system agreed with Esquerra. They say that in the PSC they are happy with España's appointment. But however federalist and aware he may be of the poor financing of the Valencian Community, can a socialist minister change anything about the distribution of money? This is the big question and the precedents are not precisely reassuring.

For over a week now, the intercity bus stop on Gran Via, located between Aribau and Muntaner streets, has been teeming with activity. From six in the evening onwards, it becomes an unstoppable hive of activity: buses double-parked, horns blaring, and passengers rushing from work to get home to the various towns in the Garraf region, where these buses serve. Where three buses used to stop, up to six now stop—double the usual number. The reason? Once again, the economic crisis and the commuter rail construction.

The southern commuter rail corridor, one of the most strained sections of the Catalan rail network, continues to face setbacks. This March, it was announced that one of the key projects intended to improve train capacity and flow on this section of the R2 South line—the quadrupling of the tracks between Castelldefels and El Prat—has been stalled once again and is now pushed back to well beyond 2030. The reason? A change of heart by the Ministry of Transport has sent the project back to square one: the initial administrative procedures must begin anew, rendering the original timeline meaningless. Adding these tracks to the R2 line is considered one of the most significant actions in the Commuter Rail Plan in terms of improving capacity in this area. The project is not new; it first appeared in the 2020 Commuter Rail Plan. In mid-2024, with Adif's approval, the construction project was drafted. At that time, the work was considered simply an "expansion" of the existing infrastructure, which technically allowed bureaucratic steps to move forward.

Concluding a week of nationwide strikes, Teachers have blocked the Ronda de Dalt ring road at several points this morningShortly before 7:00 a.m., approximately 400 people blocked traffic in both directions in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, just before the La Trinitat interchange. Later, about 100 protesters blocked the same road near Vall d'Hebron Hospital, followed by another blockade on the B-20 highway near Finestrelles, in Esplu. This action is a response to the agreement the government reached two weeks ago with the CCOO and UGT unions, presented as a "national pact," but which did not receive the support of Ustec, the largest union in the education sector, or the Secondary School Teachers' Union, the largest union in secondary schools.

Resignation is the prevailing feeling on the first day of the launch of the alternative services. railway maintenance works in the Garraf tunnelsEarly Monday morning, Adif began work to improve this infrastructure, which is badly damaged by marine corrosion. This also meant it was the first day of the alternative road plan, using buses, organized by Renfe to mitigate the effects and ensure mobility for its customers. However, many users say they have long been accustomed to the bus due to the constant disruptions and construction, especially on this section of the rail network. Therefore, today's work didn't "surprise" them. Others lament the fact that the new system will force them to get up earlier or reorganize their workday. This is the case for Andy, who commutes to Barcelona every day and now says he will have to get up 40 minutes earlier. "The train is never good, I've gotten used to the bus," explained Cesc Lacalle, a student, in statements to ACN. Yolanda, another traveler, explains the same thing: for months she's preferred to leave "with more time" but with the option of arriving on time, she says. Selena, who says she usually travels by bus for convenience, considered this morning, during rush hour, that the increased service is "a great solution, as far as possible."

The latest Commuter Rail Plan, the most up-to-date, is almost 300 pages long. It's the document that details all the railway works planned from now until 2030 to improve the Catalan network: it explains what they consist of, specifies their cost, and establishes a timeline. These range from the most ambitious projects, such as the Sagrera station, the doubling of the R3 line, and the undergrounding of the Montcada station, to much smaller, faster, and even cheaper projects that can significantly improve the network's capacity. One of these smaller planned projects is in Tordera. It's classified under the section of "strategic" works programmed to "improve network capacity" and involves building a siding in front of this station, on the section of the R1 line between Blanes and Maçanet-Massanes. "This section is single-track, without sidings, for a length of more than 15 kilometers," the plan notes. "To facilitate the resolution of incidents that may disrupt the normal operation of the line, it is proposed to reinstate the siding and platform formerly in use at Tordera station," the document continues.

A scare in La Garriga. Part of a bridge spanning the Onze de Setembre avenue in the town collapsed this Saturday morning. The incident caused no injuries, but forced the closure of the central avenue. The Town Hall explained that the area is affected by the R3 line doubling works, which have kept rail service suspended since autumn. The council maintains that it is a safety risk zone and alleges that the collapse is due to "poor execution of the works." Therefore, they announce that they will demand explanations and accountability from Adif, the infrastructure manager and the company responsible for the project. According to municipal sources, the Onze de Setembre avenue is a busy thoroughfare and a main route between the eastern and western parts of the town. The collapse occurred mid-morning, at a time when no vehicles were passing, which is why no injuries were reported. The R3 roadworks have caused mobility restrictions in this area since January, and the City Council says they have been complaining for some time that the work is not being carried out "properly." The mayor of La Garriga, Meritxell Budó, explained to ARA that she believes there is a "lack of coordination" that is leaving the works unfinished. In a message on social media, the Councilor for Economic Development, Commerce, Mobility, and Climate Action, Àlex Valiente, explained that the situation in the municipality with the construction "creates hazardous situations." Valiente asserted that the council has been denouncing this "at every follow-up meeting" for some time. "And in the end, it happened," he concluded before demanding "immediate solutions."

Adif blocked the website of the user platform Dignity on the Tracks this Friday, where users could consult the temporary speed restrictions on the conventional rail network. According to sources within the company who spoke to ARA, its cybersecurity service requested the website operator to block access, citing "security" reasons because "sensitive information" was being published. The website in question is limitacions.vatard.cat, which the platform launched to provide users with up-to-date information. In a statement, Dignity on the Tracks denounced the blocking of its website and lamented that the Spanish government "seems to prefer opacity to public service." Regarding the argument that temporary speed restrictions are not public data, the platform pointed out that "transparency is not a threat, it is a democratic right." In the statement, the platform argues that other European Union countries have public portals with this data.

For months, users had been demanding action, and the Catalan government had assured them it would address the issue. Finally, this Thursday, Renfe announced that it will replace some of the trains offering Avant services to provide more daily seats between Lleida, Tarragona, and Barcelona starting next week. These regulated-fare high-speed trains, used to connect major cities, have become an alternative, albeit a more expensive one, for most commuter rail users, given the constant chaos of the conventional Catalan rail network. as NOW already explainedBut demand has increased so much that the service was also on the verge of collapse.

The surge in investments, construction projects, and also disruptions to railway infrastructure and service interruptions across the country has dramatically increased the number of alternative road transport plans that Renfe has in place. Finding available buses at a reasonable price is no easy task when multiple problems coincide, and this has led the Spanish train operator to embark on a new project: Renfe now wants to create its own bus company to avoid relying on private providers. This was explained by spokespeople for the operator on Tuesday in a statement detailing that the tender for the new subsidiary has already been approved. Its objective is to handle all alternative road transport plans (known as PATs in railway jargon) designed for each train. In this way, Renfe will no longer have to depend on the availability of external companies and assures that it will be able to provide a "more agile" response to passengers, "with more personalized attention and a better integrated service."

Work on the Garraf railway tunnel, on the R2 South line, will begin this March, as announced by Transport Minister Óscar Puente on Monday. Puente noted that this infrastructure improvement project has already been tendered and contracted, but work had not yet commenced because the Catalan government (Generalitat) had deemed it necessary to prioritize other lines on the commuter rail network. However, the work schedule for this section of the R2 South will no longer be postponed, Puente explained during a breakfast briefing held at the Ateneo de Madrid. In fact, Adif and the Commuter Rail Plan had already anticipated that these maintenance works on the Garraf tunnels—through which the trains pass and which have suffered damage for years due to corrosion caused by sea air humidity—would begin at the end of last year or the beginning of 2026. To carry out this work, however, the third-track installation in Martorell had to be completed so that once the R2 line is closed, the Regional trains would have to be diverted onto this other track. These works will force trains to run on a single track between Garraf and Vilanova i la Geltrú, which will reduce service between these stations and, consequently, force trains on lines R13, R14, R15, R16, and R17 towards Barcelona to be diverted via Vilafranca. To minimize disruption to passengers, Renfe has proposed maintaining 8 trains per hour in each direction from Barcelona to El Prat de Llobregat, 6 trains to Castelldefels, 4 to Garraf, and 2 to Sant Vicenç de Calders (Baix Penedès). They are also planning two additional trains in the morning and evening to maintain the connection with Barcelona on weekdays (although the route will be extended via Vilafranca), as well as several direct bus services, increased intercity bus service, and a new service between Altafulla and Torredembarra and Barcelona.

What has happened in recent weeks in Catalonia with the collapse of the commuter rail system, which we recall that It's still running at half speed with many sections The measures that must be implemented with buses and a radical reduction in speed are perhaps the most serious impact on citizens, but not the only one. The case of the A-2, The emergency repairs between Cervera and La Panadella, which weren't completed until yesterday, are yet another example of how the lack of maintenance is affecting mobility, the lives of citizens, and the economy of many businesses. And, in this latest case, it's clear that much of the problem stems from negligence—a lack of professionalism and drive on the part of the political and administrative authorities who haven't lived up to the demands of the country. The mayors of the affected towns have been demanding improvements to this section of highway for some time now. They feel abandoned and lament that it took dozens of cars getting flat tires due to the poor condition of the asphalt for any temporary repairs to be carried out and for the improvement works to progress.

The GDP of the Catalan and Spanish economies has been growing at double the rates of the major European economies for several years, unemployment is falling, and inflation is trending toward the 2% target. Clearly, the macroeconomic figures paint a picture of a thriving economy. However, there is a growing perception among citizens and businesses that things aren't as good as they seem on the ground; rather, there's a general feeling that economic and social problems are piling up and that, despite the positive figures, things aren't quite working. More importantly, there's a sense that action is needed to prevent things from getting worse.

Today marks one month since the Gelida accident in which a trainee train driver died, which definitively plunged Cercanías into chaos, courtesy of Renfe, Adif and the Ministry of Transport (and which, by the way, significantly affected the AP-7).