Catalonia’s president Salvador Illa wants much tougher penalties for train graffiti vandals. He’s proposing to triple fines, with maximum penalties reaching €90,000. The announcement came during Wednesday’s policy debate in Parliament.
Illa highlighted the serious disruption caused by graffiti attacks. Vandalised trains must be taken out of service for cleaning. Last Saturday’s incident in Balenyà forced a Rodalies train off the tracks for at least three days.
The president plans to reform the railway law. This will specifically target vandalism and graffiti on trains operating in Catalunya. According to Illa, such acts have serious consequences for infrastructure and people’s right to mobility.
‘That business of painting trains is over,’ Illa stated bluntly. He was responding to PSC parliamentary spokesman Ferran Pedret during the debate.
Moreover, Illa hopes all parliamentary groups will back the initiative. He wants the hefty fines to act as a deterrent. With 110 new trains arriving in Catalunya progressively from early 2026, he’s adamant about stopping the vandalism.
The problem isn’t just aesthetic. When trains are spray-painted, they can’t run until properly cleaned. This creates service disruptions affecting thousands of daily commuters.
Graffiti attacks on Rodalies and metro services have been an ongoing issue. However, this represents the strongest government response yet. The proposed €90,000 maximum fine is three times current levels.
Illa’s making public transport security a priority. With substantial investment in new rolling stock coming, he wants to protect that infrastructure from day one.
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