Spanish trains halted as drivers start strike over deadly accidents in January

MADRID – Spanish train services were disrupted on Feb 9 as drivers started a three-day strike to protest against safety conditions following two deadly accidents in January.

The walkout, led by the main drivers’ union, Semaf, was called after 46 people were killed when a high-speed train derailed in Andalusia, and another died in an accident in Catalonia two days later.

Transport Minister Oscar Puente held failed talks with the unions over the weekend to stop the walkout.

“This ongoing decline in rail safety is unacceptable,” Semaf said in a statement. 

The strikes add to the chaotic state of train service in recent weeks.

In Barcelona and the surrounding region of Catalonia, commuter trains have been delayed and suspended regularly since the train crash on Jan 20 as tracks are inspected and repaired. Freight transport to France and the ports of Barcelona and Valencia has also been affected. 

Trains carry an average of about 1.4 million passengers a day in Spain across roughly 5,000 services. The country has more than 3,000km of high-speed rail, making it the world’s second-largest network, according to infrastructure manager Adif. 

High-speed trains have been severely impacted since the Jan 18 accident in Andalusia, as speeds were lowered, increasing travel times. Trains are made to go slower when drivers report rail safety concerns that need to be checked.

The rail crisis has added political pressure on the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Catalonia is one of the premier’s main constituencies. 

Spain’s commuter trains are operated by state-owned Renfe, which is also the main high-speed operator. Adif, another state-owned company, controls rail infrastructure. Ouigo, controlled by the French state, and Iryo, owned by the Italian state, also operate high-speed services. BLOOMBERG