Puente resigns after Colau calls for rail pact and accountability

Óscar Puente resigned as transport minister on Tuesday, 3 November, after the Urda rail crash. He also pulled out of the 29 November general election.

A day earlier, Frente Amplio candidate Ada Colau had called for him to take political responsibility. She also set out a state rail pact after meeting unions in Barcelona.

The Urda crash happened in Toledo on 28 October and killed 69 people. A second crash near Adamuz in January killed 46 people. Both took place on the Madrid–Seville high-speed line.

Puente leaves after two crashes

Puente told lawmakers that a minister could not stay after two crashes of this scale in less than a year. He called his choice a matter of political dignity.

He said he decided to go soon after he heard about the Urda crash. But he waited until urgent rail safety steps were under way.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised Puente for putting victims first and taking political responsibility. The cause of the Urda crash is still under inquiry.

Before leaving office, Puente announced fewer trains on the Madrid–Seville line. The cut will last until a safety review ends and the ERTMS system is in place.

The government also plans to make a second controller check key orders when signalling fails. It intends to use a 40 km/h cap when drivers must watch the track ahead. New software and an AI tool are also planned for control rooms.

The Cabinet approved €30 million in direct aid and early payments for those hurt and the families of those killed.

Colau sets out a rail pact

Colau proposed talks among as many parties as possible after the 29 November vote. Her plan would unite state train firm Renfe and track manager Adif in one public body.

She said the split may leave the two bodies with different rules during a crisis. Colau also called for an independent audit of the whole rail network.

Her plan would bring basic track care back into public hands, add staff and give them ongoing training. She wants the pact to cover local trains as well as high-speed routes.

Colau also proposed moving funds from airport growth to rail. She opposed a PSOE plan to spend €13,000 million on larger airports.

For work on the Madrid–Barcelona line, she raised options other than a full closure. They include more night work, fewer trains for a time and longer work slots.

Colau said courts must decide blame for the Urda crash. She rejected blame being placed on one rail worker before that inquiry ends.

She and the unions also criticised the leak of crash recordings. Colau called for the source of the leak to be checked.

Puente has now left office and the election, but Colau’s rail pact has not been adopted. Her proposed talks would start after the vote.

Sources: Spain English, Euro Weekly News, elDiario.es, Andalucía Información and La Vanguardia.