Spain’s national railway operator has ordered a drop in the speed limit on part of the Madrid to Barcelona high-speed line.
Adif instructed drivers to travel no more than 160km/hr on a 150km-stretch of the route, reports Cadena Ser.
Adif said that drivers had reported bumps and potholes on the section of the line between Mejorada del Campo (Madrid) and Alhama de Aragon (Zaragoza).
The operator’s decision to reduce the speed limit ‘for safety reasons’ came just two days after the Adamuz tragedy in Cordoba that has so far left 42 people dead and dozens injured.
The speed reduction was announced on Tuesday despite the fact that complaints from the train drivers’ union go back several months.
Maintenance crews are reported to be inspecting the affected section on Tuesday night to determine whether the restriction should be extended or lifted.
The significant speed reduction (down from 250km/hr) is expected to delay the journey between Madrid and Barcelona, although neither Adif nor the drivers have provided a precise estimate of the delay.
Following the accident in Adamuz, drivers once again reported the presence of potholes on that section to Adif, and the state-owned company decided to implement the restriction as a preventative measure.
