The wrong trains were already ordered in 2020, but the disaster only came to light at the end of January. The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Transport therefore resigned.
State railway company Renfe has ordered 31 trains in Spain for a total value of 258 million euros, too large for some of the tunnels in the intended area of operation in the north of the country. About three weeks after the scandal was discovered, Renfe president Isaías Táboas resigned on Monday. The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Transport, Isabel Pardo, has also made her position available.
Transport Minister Raquel Sánchez accepted both resignations, she said, citing the Madrid government. According to the authorities, the error will lead to a delay in the commissioning of the new trains by at least two years until 2026. The prime ministers of the affected regions of Cantabria and Asturias wanted to meet with Sánchez in Madrid late Monday afternoon to negotiate financial compensation.
“Heads of great animals must roll”
Before meeting Sánchez and announcing their resignations, Prime Ministers Miguel Ángel Revilla (Cantabria) and Adrián Barbón (Asturias) called for the accountability of all those responsible. It would also have to “roll the heads of large animals,” Revilla said, for example. So far, only two department heads at Renfe and the administration authority for the Adif rail network have been sacked. They are just scapegoats, Revilla said.
Although the request had already been made in 2020, the Spanish train disaster only came to light at the end of January through a report by the regional newspaper “El Comercio”. The central government has already admitted the error, but stated that the taxpayer did not suffer any financial loss because the trains, which were very wide, had not yet been built. After several warnings, the entire production process ended up being stopped. Madrid published the new order for transport manufacturer CAF on Saturday.
19th century railway network
The new trains are intended to replace the outdated fleet in regions that are not as well connected to the national rail network. The rail network in Cantabria and Asturias dates mainly from the 19th century and runs through a mountainous landscape. The tunnels in the two regions still have different dimensions, which do not always correspond to modern railway standards in Spain.
Spain is considered a model country for rapid transit. Operating at speeds of up to 310 kilometers per hour, AVE trains are known for their punctuality and reliability.
(APA/dpa)