Andalucia president Juanma Moreno has demanded urgent transport alternatives following the Toledo rail disaster.

The tragedy last Wednesday has forced the closure of the region’s high-speed rail connection with Madrid, which has long been vital for business and tourism.

He called on the central government to increase flight frequencies, cap fares and examine whether alternative railway routes could help maintain connections.

Moreno said Andalucia’s five airports should be used to strengthen links with cities including Madrid and Barcelona, with affordable fares to help stranded travellers.

Some airlines have already introduced price limits.

The regional president described the consequences of the Urda collision, which killed at least 69 people, as both a human tragedy and an ‘economic and social disaster’.

He accused the government of allowing Andalucia to become ‘isolated’ again, claiming repeated disruption had affected the region for almost a year.

Moreno warned that the latest closure would cause losses running into millions of euros, threatening jobs and business opportunities.

The Junta is meeting tourism representatives to calculate the financial impact, which he suggested could exceed the losses following the earlier Adamuz rail disaster.

He also demanded reliable, verified information from the central government about the condition and future operation of the railway corridor.

‘It is not advisable to suffocate Spain’s third-largest economic engine,’ he said.

The comments add to pressure from tourism businesses concerned about lost bookings and the time needed to restore passengers’ confidence in high-speed rail.

Moreno also renewed his demand for Transport Minister Oscar Puente to resign.

He described Puente’s decision to remain in office as ‘unacceptable’ and criticised the absence of political resignations following the disaster.

‘That neither the minister nor anyone else has accepted a single responsibility is not only surprising – it is absolutely disgraceful in a democracy,’ he said.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.