Spanish rail operator Renfe announes strike on 15 July

Spanish rail operator Renfe will operate with reduced services on 15 July, when the railway union (SF) has called a 24-your strike.

The Ministry of Transport has established essential services that will guarantee 73% of high-speed and long-distance trains; 66% of medium-distance trains; and between 50% and 75% of commuter rail services, depending on the time of day.

Of the 343 high-speed and long-distance trains scheduled for that day, 249 will run for sure, while another 94 may be affected by the follow-up to the call.

Of the 650 medium-distance trains 426 will circulate, leaving 224 services pending the development of the strike.

Renfe has stated that the previous strike day on 29 June saw a participation rate of 1.83%, so many of the trains not included in the minimum services could also run normally.

In the province of Malaga, commuter trains will operate at 75% capacity during peak hours (from 6am to 9am, 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 6.30pm to 8.30pm), while during the rest of the day 50% of the services will be maintained.

The Malaga commuter rail network registers an average of 26,985 passengers daily on a weekday. Of these, 25,040 use the C1 line between Malaga and Fuengirola, and 1,945 use the C2 line between Malaga and Álora.

The ministry has stated that the established minimum services "guarantee (...) the protection and safety of all passengers, avoiding the risk of overcrowding inside trains and overcrowding on platforms during peak hours".

Regarding medium-distance services, the resolution states that the Malaga-Cordoba-Seville high-speed medium-distance line carries an average of 2,959 passengers daily, while the conventional Seville-Malaga line adds another 533 passengers per day. The Malaga-Ronda connection has 94 passengers daily. All these services will be subject to the general 66% minimum service level the ministry has established..

The Ministry of Transport justifies the extensive minimum services by citing the strike's coincidence with the start of the second half of July, a period of high demand due to the convergence of work commutes and the beginning of summer holidays. According to the resolution, cancelling a greater number of trains could cause transport and safety problems due to overcrowding at stations and the limited capacity of other modes of transport.

With this strike, the CF denounces what it considers a "premeditated abandonment" of Renfe Mercancías (Renfe freight) and rejects the reorganisation plans for this division through the alliance between the state-owned operator and Medway, a subsidiary of the MSC group. For the union, this strategy represents a step towards the privatisation of rail freight transport.

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