Chaotic morning in practically all the train stations in Catalonia. A serious breakdown in Adif’s telecommunications system has interrupted Rodalies and Long Distance services throughout the territory. The incident, which has not affected high-speed trains, has already been resolvedbut delays and service anomalies are expected to continue throughout the morning.
The magnitude of the breakdown has forced the Generalitat to activate the Ferrocat Plan in the pre-alert phase. The lack of protocols in these cases has caused the disorientation of thousands of users who take a train every morning to travel to or around the Catalan capital.
The members of the Government have not been slow to charge against the State for the “unfortunate state” of the Renfe service in Catalonia. The first to do so was the vice president of the Government, Jordi Puignero, who has described as “serious and unfortunate” the situation generated this Friday. The president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonès, has once again demanded the transfer of powers.
Jordi Puigneró: “People want Cercanías to work, not for it to be free”
In an interview in The Mati of Catalunya Radio, Jordi Puigneró has affirmed that it is just another episode, assuring that “we cannot continue like this”. “People want Rodalies to work, not for it to be free,” he remarked. As for the solution, Puigneró has pointed out that goes through the transfer of the service to the Generalitat“this can only be fixed by taking an alternative means of transport called independence”.
The president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragones, has demanded from the State, for the umpteenth time, the transfer of powers. Aragonés has requested through Twitter “explanations and guarantees for the future” after “the absolutely unacceptable” breakdown of Adif that has paralyzed commuter, regional and long-distance trains in Catalonia.
“This deficient situation has lasted too long. The Spanish government must assume its responsibility and transfer the competition,” he said in the tweet. The head of the Catalan executive has explained that Civil Protection, Mossos d’Esquadra and Local Police “They have been coordinated from early in the morning to avoid major damage to stations and platforms.”
The Minister of Company and Work, Roger Torrent He also lamented “the umpteenth breakdown in the Rodalies network”. In a tweet, Torrent has charged against the Spanish government for the lack of investment in infrastructure. “Today a computer error by Adif. Too many years accumulating disinvestments in a key infrastructure for the life of a large part of the citizens of Catalonia and for our economy,” said the minister.
An “absolutely anomalous” incident
For her part, the Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Raquel Sánchezhas estimated that 80,000 users were harmed this morning by the breakdown in the telecommunications of the Catalan railway network, in an interview in Catalunya Radio. The minister has admitted that “a few hours” will be necessary for the service to function “normally”.
On the other hand, he stressed that the incidence that has occurred “is absolutely abnormal” and “had never occurred.” Specifically, he explained that after updating the control systems, communication with the different trains running on the network was not possible and “it was not safe”.
The breakdown would have been caused by a failure in the computer system that controls telecommunications between the railway control and the trains. own Rachel Sanchez has stated in statements to RAC1 that the ministry will open an investigation “to find out what has happened.” The Catalan parties have already requested the parliamentary appearance of the minister to explain the fault.
More than 80,000 users affected by the incident
More than 80,000 people have been harmed by Adif’s incidence. This unexpected situation has forced them to change their means of transport to reach their destination. The lack of alternatives on the part of Renfe has provoked the outrage of users, who have shown their discomfort through social networks.
A Renfe user who was at the Clot-Aragó station, who has arrived late for work due to the breakdown, has said in statements to ACN: “Always the same! Trains haven’t passed for three hours. I’ve had a lot of problems with Rodalies, it’s business as usual.”
The breakdown of Renfe has also caused problems on the roads of Barcelona and its surroundings. Many of the users who usually take the train have opted for the private vehicle, which has caused an increase in traffic jams on Catalan tracks.
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