TMB rectifies: Barcelona metro will maintain its codes

BarcelonaMore than 24 hours later, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) has settled the controversy that the company itself had started through its account on the social network X@TMBinfo. Company sources explained to ARA that the order in which the metro lines appear on the signs at entrances where more than one line converges will not be changed. "The criterion of displaying the pictogram of the line closest to that concourse first is maintained and will continue to be maintained," they emphasize.

TMB thus rectifies the message it had published this Wednesday at noon. At that time, in response to a user who asked why, at the entrances to Verdaguer station from Girona Street (both closest to line L5), some signs placed line L5 first and others line L4 first, the company explained that "the signage criteria for the stations has changed." He added that as the station signs are updated, the lines will be arranged numerically, not by proximity.

Now, however, TMB sources explain that the sign at the Verdaguer entrance that has generated all this controversy "was changed some time ago and contains an error in the order of the lines." They also assure that "at the entrances to the rest of the metro network, the criterion of displaying the pictogram of the line closest to that concourse first is maintained and will continue to be maintained." They also add that they will review the rest of the network's entrances where more than one line coincides to ensure there is no other error.

This way, the order of the lines will remain as it is. For example, if someone enters the Sagrada Família metro through the Provença street entrance, they will continue to find that the signage first shows line L5 (the blue one) and then L2 (the purple one). On the contrary, the order is reversed if they enter the metro from the Mallorca street stop. A system that allows you to avoid long transfers and access the desired platform faster.

Avalanche of complaints

The post on the @TMBinfo account this Wednesday surprised users, who immediately expressed their opposition to the measure on social media as well. The message announcing this measure has garnered more than a hundred responses from users critical of a change that, they believe, "makes no sense" and only harms users. They also lament that this change was made without prior notice.

Among the complaints is that while the new numbering system does not provide any added value, the previous one made it possible to avoid some extremely long and unnecessary transfers and travel on the street, or, in the case of people with reduced mobility, minimize the risk of encountering obstacles. For all these reasons, they demanded a rectification from the company, which has finally been implemented.