The government says it has already spent nearly 90 million on emergency works on the commuter rail network.
The forecast is that 50% of the speed restrictions on trains will not be lifted until April
BarcelonaThe Spanish government has put figures to the state's response to the recent chaos on the commuter rail network. The Secretary of State for Transport, José Antonio Santano, confirmed this morning that the investment in 91 emergency works initiated after the Gelida train crash—around 70 of which are still pending—has already exceeded 80 million euros. "We are close to 90 million and it is possible that [the figure] will increase," he said from Barcelona, at a joint press conference with the Catalan Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque.
Both the state representative, installed in Catalonia sine die to address the railway debacle Unprecedented, as the councilor has emphasized, this "unprecedented" response with the main objective of being able to gradually reopening sections of track which have been cut due to deficiencies detected in the network. In this regard, they have announced that Cercanías (commuter rail) will resume service this Saturday on the RL4 line between Cervera and Lleida, while the R4, R3, R8, R7, and R15 lines will continue with some sections served by bus. Regarding the implemented speed restrictions, a total of 200 applied at different points on the network and causing delays, they explained that 50% should be lifted during this month of February. These correspond to emergency works. The rest, which correspond to works already underway, they admitted will be lifted gradually with the aim of April, the month in which Renfe has announced the full restoration of the commuter rail service..
Santano admitted that "some new limitations may appear, and they will, because this also has to do with the works that are being implemented." But he assured that by the end of the year there will be 90% fewer limitations, which will result in a "better service" on the commuter rail network.
In parallel with the emergency investment carried out in recent days by the State, Santano himself had already announced shortly after the Gelida train accident on January 20th an agreement with the Generalitat to expand the Commuter Rail Plan with an additional investment of 1.7 billion.
Paneque emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two administrations and called for "responsibility" from the opposition groups in Catalonia. "We will not move forward if anyone tries to exploit the situation for reasons unrelated to improving the commuter rail service," he said, after the Catalan Parliament He called for her resignation again this Thursday and that of the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente.