Body settles the debate and "commits" not to close the Madrid-Barcelona route while waiting to "move forward" with the train drivers

The first vice president, Carlos Body, has definitively settled this Monday the debate that, two days after the Urda accident, was opened by the former Minister of Transport Óscar Puente regarding the "reflection" that should be made about whether the most convenient thing was to close the High Speed ​​line between Madrid and Barcelona to traffic during the renovation works that he estimated would last one or two years. Although Puente himself clarified days later and was inclined to do as with Madrid-Seville, the scene of the two serious accidents this year, his successor in Transport has definitively closed this issue, ensuring that his "commitment" is not to close it.

"It is the opinion that the technicians give us, it is important to give a sign of confidence about the service of the most important line in terms of passengers," said Corps in Brussels, in line with the opinion that the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, was also quick to express. "I reiterate my commitment in this sense," he stressed about the decision not to interrupt High Speed ​​train traffic between Madrid and Barcelona in works that are scheduled to begin next year.

Exchange of texts with the train drivers and the eve of the strike

Body participates this Monday in two meetings of the Eurogroup and the Ecofin, one day before in Spain the Renfe train drivers go on a first day of strike this Tuesday to demand "concrete, material and verifiable measures" in terms of railway safety on which the Ministry and the State Railway Safety Agency should have made progress after the compromise they reached in February, to stop another strike, in this case weeks after the Adamuz accident.

None of the parties have yet confirmed new contacts for this Monday, but Corps has assured from Brussels that during the weekend they have been "exchanging regulatory texts" to "try to incorporate as soon as possible" the complaints of train drivers regarding driving in extreme weather conditions, repair of points where there are speed limitations or also new operating procedures in terms of railway safety.

"We are going to continue trying to incorporate the requests they have in terms of safety at work because it is relevant and from there we hope that the situation regarding strikes will be alleviated," said the first vice president, regarding the strike of Renfe train drivers on November 10 and 12 and that of November 17, of train drivers also of Iryo, Ouigo and freight trains as well as that of Adif that has convened its works committee, made up of CCOO, UGT, SCF, CGT and SF.