Reaction to train accidents: Spain's transport minister resigns

Six days after the serious train accident that left 69 dead, Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente announced his resignation. After two accidents within a year, a transport minister in Spain could not remain in office, he told a congressional hearing. He had only informed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of his decision a few minutes beforehand and would no longer run in the upcoming election.

Puente recalled that his government had launched a 780 million euro modernization program for the railway. He also reiterated his doubts about the control center's decision before the recent train accident, as the newspaper El País reports.

Puente was subsequently praised by representatives of his socialist party as well as MPs from other parties for his surprising resignation announcement. Puente was sworn in as Minister of Transportation at the end of 2023.

Government decides on new security measures

Two high-speed trains collided on Wednesday last week near the municipality of Urda, south of Madrid. A train operated by the state railway company Renfe ran into a stationary train operated by the private operator Iryo from behind. It was the second serious train accident in just nine months in Spain - in January, 46 people were killed in a collision between two high-speed trains in Adamuz in Andalusia.

The Spanish government on Tuesday decided on measures to improve rail safety and approved an aid package worth 30 million euros for victims and relatives of the recent train accident.

Train control system and control center in focus

While in the case of Adamuz et al. A broken track is believed to be the cause, the investigation into the accident in Urda focuses primarily on the failure of the LZB train protection system and possible errors in the control center of the network operator Adif. According to previous findings, an employee gave incorrect instructions after the control system failed.

According to the government, the number of trains between Madrid and Seville will be reduced until the new European train control system ERTMS goes into operation there. If the current LZB system fails, a second employee in the control center will have to check and confirm the instructions to the train drivers. This is intended to prevent trains from continuing to travel despite unclear route conditions.

In addition, the number of staff in the control centers is to be increased and the working conditions of the employees are to be improved. The government also decided to impose price caps on alternative transport during the closure of the accident route to prevent excessive costs for travelers.

All fatalities identified

The aid package includes direct state aid, advances on subsequent compensation payments and a doubling of benefits from statutory passenger insurance. Victims and their relatives should be looked after through specially set up contact points. There is also a special provision for temporary incapacity for work for injured people.

All 69 people who died in the accident - 40 men and 29 women - have now been identified, authorities said. 37 of the total of around 200 injured are still being treated in hospitals.