Copper Theft Delays Rodalies R1 Despite Renfe Deal With Drivers
A copper theft between El Clot and Badalona caused R1 delays of almost an hour on Sunday. Other Rodalies lines ran late, and a national rail strike is called for Nov. 17.
A new copper theft on the tracks between Badalona and El Clot disrupted the R1 line of Rodalies (Catalonia’s commuter rail network) on Sunday, with delays of almost an hour, El País reported. Sunday was supposed to be the first normal day of service after Renfe, the state rail operator, reached a deal with train drivers on Friday.
The R1 runs along the Maresme coast between L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Maçanet-Massanes, so commuters from the coastal towns north of Barcelona were hit hardest. Other lines also ran late for unrelated reasons.
What it means for passengers on Sunday
To limit the impact on R1 riders, Renfe added replacement coaches by road between Maçanet-Massanes and Blanes, and between Blanes and Mataró.
Three more lines reported delays of between 15 and 30 minutes, according to El País:
- R4, which crosses Barcelona between Manresa and Sant Vicenç de Calders, with stops including Terrassa, Sabadell and Martorell.
- R2 Sud, from Barcelona-Estació de França to Sant Vicenç de Calders via Barcelona-Sants, El Prat de Llobregat, Gavà, Castelldefels, Sitges and Vilanova i la Geltrú.
- R11, from Barcelona-Sants to Portbou via Granollers, Maçanet-Massanes, Girona and Figueres.
The disruption came on a day Renfe had hoped would close seven straight days of widespread problems across the network. Riders who want a refresher on how the lines are organized and how delay refunds work can check our guide to Rodalies lines, tickets and refunds.
How the dispute with drivers began
The trouble started on Saturday, Nov. 7, when the train drivers’ union Semaf broke off the labor agreements that let drivers begin their shifts at several end-of-line stations, such as Mataró, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Terrassa and Sant Vicenç de Calders.
Renfe responded by applying the official regulatory schedules. Under them, every driver had to report to Barcelona-Sants first and then travel out to whichever station their train left from. That made it hard to organize shift changes and get staff where they were needed, and the result was a week of late and cancelled trains.
What Friday’s agreement changes
Renfe and the unions agreed on Friday to restore the previous drivers’ timetables, shifts and starting stations. Drivers no longer have to pass through Sants before every shift.
Renfe had said service would come back gradually over the weekend, and especially from Sunday, when the new operational flexibility measures were due to be fully in place. The copper theft on the R1 meant Sunday started badly for many passengers anyway.
What happens next
Another rail strike is called across Spain for Tuesday, Nov. 17, according to El País. El País reported that the strike threatens to complicate Rodalies service again.
Source: El País
