Spain Defends Rail Investment Amid Safety Concerns Following Crashes

Spain's Rail Investment and Safety Measures

MADRID, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Spain's transport minister said on Thursday his government had ramped up spending in the railway network after years of underinvestment as he faced a grilling from senators over a series of recent train accidents, one of which killed dozens.

Recent Rail Crashes and Political Response

A January 18 high-speed rail crash in southern Spain killed 45 people while a derailment two days later in Catalonia killed a train driver, sparking political and public scrutiny of rail safety, maintenance and infrastructure spending.

Investment Trends in Rail Infrastructure

Oscar Puente, who was heckled by opposition lawmakers shouting "resign" when he walked up to the podium, said maintenance spending per kilometre had risen 66% since 2017 and was now at or above the European average.

Comparison with Other European Countries

France invests slightly more while Italy spends less, he said.

Historical Spending Cuts and Their Impact

European Commission data and industry experts have questioned whether maintenance investment has kept pace with Spain's expanding rail network and rising passenger numbers, a view Puente rejected.

According to him, Spain had invested about 30 billion euros ($36 billion) less in rail infrastructure between 2010 and 2018 than it would have if pre-financial crisis spending levels had been maintained.

The conservative People's Party held power from 2011 to 2018, implementing across-the-board spending cuts amid the EU's push for austerity while Spain faced a severe public debt crisis following a housing bubble bust.  

Total annual rail investment has jumped to around 5 billion euros ($6 billion) in 2025 from roughly 1.7 billion euros in 2017, said Puente, of the ruling Socialist Party.

($1 = 0.8376 euros)

(Reporting by Jesús Calero; Editing by David Latona)