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Diari de Catalunya

Rodalies Removes 78 Speed Restrictions and Fells 13,600 Trees Since Gelida Accident

Emergency works on the railway network have reduced restrictions, although 179 points still have limited speed.

Generic image of a train track with vegetation on the sides.
IA

Generic image of a train track with vegetation on the sides.

Emergency works on the Rodalies network have allowed the elimination of 78 speed restrictions since March, reducing delays and improving service fluidity, with a total of 179 restrictions still in place.

Since the fatal accident in Gelida, a team of 400 people has worked intensively on slopes and trenches, carrying out systematic felling that has resulted in the removal of 13,680 trees. Of these, 5,700 were specifically cut in the section between Maçanet and Portbou. In addition, works are being carried out in the Rubí and Garraf tunnels to reinforce the infrastructure.
Currently, Renfe schedules 94% of the train services that existed before the incident, which claimed the life of a trainee driver. This figure refers to the offered routes, as incidents can cause modifications. The Rodalies and Regionals network offers 846 daily services, although schedules have not yet fully recovered on lines R3, R4, and RG1.
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"There is a “systematic delay” of between 10 and 15 minutes on the R4 due to speed restrictions that has not been reflected in the timetables because they expect it to be resolved “in the coming weeks."

Government Sources
The railway operation has implemented a system of "strategic reserves" with reinforcement trains and drivers at the termini to prevent the accumulation of delays. These measures allow absorbing the impact of speed restrictions, especially on lines with fewer restrictions such as the R1. The 78 removed restrictions were those causing the most severe disruptions, allowing a significant recovery of service.
Before the Gelida accident, there were 95 temporary speed restrictions. After the incident, this figure soared to a maximum of 216 in the first week of March. Adif's goal is to reduce them to levels similar to those before the accident. Actions taken include stabilizing trenches and installing nets, with a budget of 107 million euros for emergency contracts due to storm Harry, 63.5 million for maintenance, and 11.2 million for vegetation control.
The R4 line remains one of the most affected, with fewer scheduled services than before January 20. In the northern section, between Terrassa and Manresa, service is provided by a shuttle train due to "significant" speed restrictions. Starting Monday, a new speed restriction will be implemented near L'Ametlla de Mar, on a 15.4-kilometer section of the Mediterranean corridor, where R16 and Avant trains will be able to travel at a maximum of 160 km/h.

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