The decision, announced by Santano in an interview on 3Cat, responds to the need to unify the management of the new mixed Rodalies company with the state operator. The Secretary of State argued that “proximity improves the service” and stressed that, since Rodalies is a company participated by Renfe, it is “reasonable” that the person agreed upon by the Generalitat and the Ministry handles the entire operation.
“"This is a good moment to eliminate this bicephaly and improve coordination."
This confirmation arrived the same Wednesday following an interpellation in the Parliament where ERC spokesperson, Ester Capella, had formally asked the Minister of Territory, Sílvia Paneque, to accelerate this appointment to guarantee decision-making capacity during critical moments.
Capella insisted that this step is the necessary “previous step” before the operator “ends up being 100% Catalan,” ensuring that repetitions of the recent rail crisis, which included the embankment incident in Gelida, will be avoided.
“"The crisis opens an opportunity for Catalonia to integrate into the operability and the infrastructure itself of the new company."
Paneque admitted that the work plan for the new company must be “accelerated” to ensure Catalonia's integration into the infrastructure's operability. Santano concluded that Playà, originally from Sant Vicenç de Castellet, will begin exercising his dual role “imminently”.
