Renfe train drivers have staged a spontaneous protest at Barcelona-Sants station. This demonstration, driven by urgent safety concerns, follows a significant landslide that severed the R1 Rodalies line this afternoon. Consequently, railway staff voiced serious alarm over safety standards. They claim commuter services resumed without sufficient infrastructure stability guarantees. This protest follows other recent incidents, such as the fatal landslide accident in Gelida, which heightened safety fears across the network.
Train drivers protest Sants over premature service resumption
The gathering at Catalonia’s busiest railway hub was driven by what workers describe as a premature decision to reopen lines. According to statements collected by the Catalan News Agency (ACN), drivers expressed dismay. The landslide occurred despite inspections and ‘blank runs’ (test trains without passengers) taking place throughout the previous night.
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Home » Train drivers protest Sants: Safety concerns spark station demonstration
Elisabet Ramos, a CGT union representative and driver present at the protest, described the workforce atmosphere as one of fear and insecurity. This action echoes a previous mass refusal to work over safety fears that paralysed parts of the network.
“We are very afraid; many colleagues are requesting sick leave. Who can go to work like this? It is unacceptable. We feel fear and insecurity.”Elisabet Ramos, CGT Union Representative
Narrow escape highlights safety fears in train drivers protest Sants
Demonstrators highlighted a potentially severe accident avoided only by a driver’s quick thinking on the Tordera-Maçanet line. Despite the line being certified as safe, the driver encountered a hazardous situation.
“The colleague was driving at normal speed when a warning appeared regarding an unprotected level crossing,” Ramos explained. “He reduced his speed to 30 km/h, which is why he is here to tell the story today. We only found out about it through him.”
Administrative pressure criticised in train drivers protest Sants
A central grievance was the perceived rush by railway administrators to restore normal operations. Drivers criticised inspections on Thursday that led to safety certificates assuring staff “everything was correct”. However, the reality faced by drivers on the first day of resumed service suggested otherwise. Therefore, many workers believe these recurring issues stem from a chronic underinvestment in Catalan railways.
“We were on the verge of having another news story about a colleague who is no longer here,” Ramos stated, condemning the pressure to maintain schedules over safety. “It cannot be that they tell us one thing and it is not being fulfilled.”
In addition, the protest underscores a systemic issue within the Rodalies network. For further information on railway safety standards, visit the ADIF website.
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