Alt CampAlt EmpordàAlt PenedèsAlt UrgellAlta RibagorçaAnoiaAranBagesBaix CampBaix EbreBaix EmpordàBaix LlobregatBaix PenedèsBarcelonèsBerguedàCerdanyaConca de BarberàGarrafGarriguesGarrotxaGironèsLluçanèsMaresmeMoianèsMontsiàNogueraOsonaPallars JussàPallars SobiràPla d'UrgellPla de l'EstanyPrioratRibera d'EbreRipollèsSegarraSegriàSelvaSolsonèsTarragonèsTerra AltaUrgellVallès OccidentalVallès OrientalAlt CampAlt EmpordàAlt PenedèsAlt UrgellAlta RibagorçaAnoiaAranBagesBaix CampBaix EbreBaix EmpordàBaix LlobregatBaix PenedèsBarcelonèsBerguedàCerdanyaConca de BarberàGarrafGarriguesGarrotxaGironèsLluçanèsMaresmeMoianèsMontsiàNogueraOsonaPallars JussàPallars SobiràPla d'UrgellPla de l'EstanyPrioratRibera d'EbreRipollèsSegarraSegriàSelvaSolsonèsTarragonèsTerra AltaUrgellVallès OccidentalVallès Oriental
CA|ES|EN

Diari de Catalunya

Renfe denies information on incidents on the Barcelona-Madrid AVE line

The railway operator rejects a public information access request regarding the status of high-speed lines, drawing criticism from transparency experts.

Generic image of a high-speed train track with a moving train in the background.
IA

Generic image of a high-speed train track with a moving train in the background.

Renfe Operadora has denied a public information access request concerning incidents recorded on the Barcelona-Madrid and Madrid-Seville AVE lines, a decision that transparency experts deem legally unfounded.

On February 2, this media outlet requested, under the transparency law, data on the number of incidents reported by drivers on the Barcelona-Madrid AVE line between January 1 and January 18, 2026, just before the Adamuz and Gelida accidents. Post-January 18 incidents, their technical details, and corrective actions were also requested, along with comparative data from 2025 and similar information for the Madrid-Seville line.
The response from Renfe Operadora, to whom the Ministry of Transport forwarded the request, has been negative. The operator rejected the request, arguing that Renfe Viajeros is not a public administration and has no competence in railway accidents, and that the requested information is not acquired in the exercise of public functions. Furthermore, it claims that responding would involve creating a new report from 'scattered' data.

It is not appropriate to facilitate access to the requested information, as Renfe Viajeros is not a public administration and has no administrative competence in relation to railway accidents.

Transparency experts have strongly criticized this decision. Joan Ridao, a lawyer for the Catalan Parliament, calls it a 'scandal,' reminding that Renfe is part of the public sector and must be subject to transparency. Antoni Bayona, professor of constitutional law at UPF, believes the resolution lacks legal basis and that the referral to Renfe Viajeros is a 'maneuver' to avoid responding. Pep Mir, professor of administrative law, emphasizes that the regulation does subject public sector commercial companies.
Renfe's refusal also extends to the Madrid-Seville line, citing an ongoing investigation by the Railway Accident Investigation Commission (CIAF). An appeal against this resolution can be filed with the Transparency Council, and this newspaper is already working legally to do so.
“

"For peace of mind and good planning, this information should be public."

Joan Carles Salmerón · Director of the Terminus Transport Studies Center
This opacity is not an isolated incident. Recently, Adif blocked a website by the Dignitat a les Vies platform that published temporary speed restrictions, a fact that Adif's president admitted as an 'error' in Congress. Anna Gómez, spokesperson for Dignitat a les Vies, laments the lack of transparency, especially given the creation of the new Rodalies Catalunya company, and insists on the need to make information about investments and improvements public.

Related News