Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente resigned and withdrew from the upcoming general election following a deadly train crash that killed 69 people.
Spain's transport minister Oscar Puente addresses parliament on the deadly train crash near Toledo, in Madrid, Spain, Nov 3, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Juan Barbosa)
Spain's transport minister Oscar Puente addresses parliament on the deadly train crash near Toledo, in Madrid, Spain, Nov 3, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Juan Barbosa)
Cranes lift wrecked train carriages as rescuers search for victims following a collision between two trains in Urda, Spain on Oct 29, 2026. (Photo: AP/Manu Fernandez)
SAFETY UNDER SCRUTINY
The train drivers' union Semaf, which has called strikes at Renfe for Nov 10 and 12, has denounced a worsening of working conditions and the use of "degraded systems".
Critics say investment in maintenance has not kept up with the increase in passenger numbers since the 2021 liberalisation of Spain's rail network, which allowed private companies to break Renfe's decades-long monopoly.
In an apparent recognition of the unions' demands, Puente said the working conditions of control centre operators would be reformed, including their breaks and monitoring their fatigue levels.
Puente also announced an aid package of 30 million euros (US$33.5 million) for the families of the dead and the scores of people who were injured in last week's accident.
Another collision in the southern region of Andalusia in January killed 46 people on the same key line connecting Madrid with the city of Seville, Spain's first high-speed route when it opened in 1992.