Train services in Spain were disrupted on Monday as drivers began a three-day strike to protest safety conditions after two fatal accidents in January. This was reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
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The action, led by the main drivers' union Semaf, was announced after 46 people died in a high-speed train derailment in Andalusia, and another person died in an accident in Catalonia two days later. Transport Minister Oscar Puente held inconclusive talks with unions over the weekend in an attempt to avert the strike.
"This prolonged deterioration of railway safety is unacceptable," Semaf said.
The strikes added to the chaotic state of railway services in recent weeks following the January accidents.
In Barcelona and the surrounding Catalonia region, commuter trains have been regularly delayed or canceled since the January 20 accident, as tracks are inspected and repaired. Freight traffic to France, as well as to the ports of Barcelona and Valencia, has also been affected.
In Spain, trains transport an average of about 1.4 million passengers per day across approximately 5,000 journeys. The country has over 3,000 kilometers of high-speed railways, making it the second-largest network in the world, according to infrastructure operator Adif.
High-speed trains have been significantly affected after the January 18 accident in Andalusia, as speeds have been reduced, increasing travel times. Trains are forced to move slower when drivers report safety issues on tracks that require inspection.
The railway crisis has intensified political pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government. Catalonia is one of the prime minister's main electoral regions.
Commuter trains in Spain are operated by the state-owned company Renfe, which is also the main operator of high-speed services. Another state-owned company, Adif, controls the railway infrastructure. Ouigo, controlled by the French state, and Iryo, owned by the Italian state, also operate high-speed services.