The Junta de Andalucia has rejected plans to reopen the Madrid rail connection with fewer trains before signalling upgrades and an extraordinary safety review are completed.
Regional spokeswoman and vice-president Carolina España said the Junta wanted all necessary work finished before any services resumed following the Toledo rail disaster.
‘They have to certify the complete safety of the line,’ she said.
The Transport Ministry’s proposal would allow a reduced service to restart once the damaged railway is repaired, while the remaining safety work continues.
The Junta argues that reopening quickly must take second place to restoring passengers’ confidence after two major disasters in nine months.
‘We demand a thorough review to establish that everything is in a perfectly safe condition and that an obsolete system has been replaced,’ España said.
She was referring to the LZB signalling system, whose replacement was awarded in 2021 but is not expected to enter service until early 2027.
España cited the combined toll of 115 deaths in the Urda and Adamuz disasters and questioned the frequency of incidents on the route.
The regional government is also preparing additional financial support for bereaved families.
It intends to follow the model introduced after Adamuz, when regional assistance amounted to an extra €14,000 per person killed, supplementing central government support and compensation arrangements.
A working group involving several regional ministries will coordinate the response through the commissioner appointed after the January disaster.
While the railway remains closed, the Junta is calling for more flights through Andalucia’s five airports and stronger road transport connections.
It wants alternative services offered at limited prices under the emergency powers approved by the central government.
The regional tourism and development ministries are already holding talks with airlines about increasing flight frequencies from Andalucian airports.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
