Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced measures to improve rail safety just over three weeks after a devastating train accident claimed 46 lives.
Sánchez, speaking in parliament on Wednesday, said that while the Spanish rail system is not perfect, it is “the most reliable” in the EU and “one of the best in the world.”
He warned against disinformation and scaremongering that claims the Spanish rail system is “outdated or unsafe – because that is not true.”
On January 18, two high-speed trains travelling in opposite directions collided near Adamuz in the southern region of Andalusia. Forty-six people died, and more than 120 were injured. A fracture in the rail is suspected as the probable cause.
Just two days later, a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks in Barcelona, and a commuter train collided with the debris. The train driver lost his life, and dozens of passengers were injured.
Spaniards now have greater fear of train travel
Following the accidents, fear of train travel in Spain has increased, according to surveys.
The conservative opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said in parliament that the accidents could have been avoided. In this context, he again called for Sánchez’s resignation on Wednesday.
The Socialist prime minister stressed that since he took office in 2018, the number of train accidents in Spain has decreased by 11%. At the same time, he said investments in rail infrastructure between 2018 and 2025 have almost tripled compared to the period between 2012 and 2018, from €1.7 billion to €5 billion ($2.02 billion to $5.95 billion).
Nevertheless, he said it is legitimate to question the level of investment.