The independentist party Alhora has promoted an ILP for Renfe to cease operations in Catalonia. The proposal comes after the Urda disaster, amidst the Rodalies crisis.
The independentist party Alhora has launched a popular legislative initiative (ILP) so that, by law approved in the Parlament, Renfe stops operating in Catalonia. The proposal arrives amid the controversy over the train accident in Urda, in Toledo, which has reopened the debate on the transfer of commuter train competencies.
According to Vozpópuli, the party, which no longer includes Clara Ponsatí, proposes that the service be taken over by FGC. Alhora's leader, Jordi Graupera, attributes the accident to the "Spanish political system" and links it to investment in the AVE.
"We need to kick Spain out of Catalonia, and we will start by kicking out Renfe."
The statements come after several difficult months for Rodalies. Following the accident in Gelida earlier this year, which resulted in the death of a young train driver, the network has accumulated delays and incidents. The situation stabilised in summer, but autumn storms and a strike by Semaf have once again left many travellers without trains, with nearly a quarter of them opting for buses yesterday.
The transfer of Rodalies to the Govern was in its final stages. A mixed commission between the State and the Generalitat was finalising the details, and the assumption of the R1 was scheduled for this autumn. Now, according to the analysis, the process is more uncertain than ever.
The programme contract signed between the Generalitat and Renfe sets the obligations of both parties until 2029, the year in which the Govern will take control. That agreement had already received criticism from independentist sectors before the accident, who consider it insufficient.
Republican deputy Joan Puig, in an article published in El Punt Avui, recalls that the "Spanish State" has accumulated three of the five most serious accidents in Europe in the last 20 years, with over 30 fatalities. Puig argues that relying on those infrastructures has a cost and risks that, in his opinion, are too high.
The ILP from Alhora still needs to meet the signature collection requirements before reaching the Parlament. In the meantime, Rodalies users must check the notices from Renfe and the Generalitat before travelling.
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