A cable theft and an operational disruption affected train services on the R1 line in Catalonia on Sunday. According to the regional rail network Rodalies the affected infrastructure was between El Clot station in Barcelona and Badalona. The newspaper El País reported in the morning that the theft had caused delays of almost an hour.
Because of the operational disruption, additional buses were provided between Maçanet-Massanes and Blanes and between Blanes and Mataró . Rodalies reported at 9.32 am on 15 November that trains were running outside their usual timetables because of the two disruptions. The buses were intended to supplement services; the notice does not say that they replaced all train services on these sections.
The R1 connects, among other places, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Maçanet-Massanes via Barcelona and the Maresme coast. The disruption affected the line at a time when the railway operator Renfe had hoped to gradually normalise services following an agreement with the unions.
Renfe and the unions agreed on Friday 13 November to reinstate earlier arrangements governing drivers’ working hours, shifts and reporting locations. This followed numerous delays and train cancellations across Catalonia’s rail network. According to El País, the general operating problems had been ongoing since 7 November.
The dispute concerned, among other things, where train drivers were to start work. After an earlier agreement broke down, they initially had to report to the station at Barcelona-Sants before travelling to the stations where they were due to take over their trains. The new agreement once again allows them to start their shift at other departure stations.
However, the agreement on work organisation does not undo the effects of a cable theft. According to El País, other lines also reported delays on Sunday: on the R4, R2 Sud and R11, these were between 15 and 30 minutes, the report said. A nationwide railway strike had also been announced for Tuesday 17 November.
The information about the R1 reflects the situation on Sunday morning. The reports reviewed did not indicate when the line was able to operate fully to timetable again.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).