CSIF says Adif staff who direct rail traffic have faced shifts of up to 12 hours and five consecutive nights, a concern the union says it raised in September. The union describes traffic-control work as carrying high levels of responsibility. It says staffing and working conditions should form part of the discussion about rail safety.
After the 28 October 2026 collision near Urda, Toledo, on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line, the union accused Transport Minister Óscar Puente of pointing to an Adif traffic manager before the investigation had properly begun. CSIF says Puente used the worker as a scapegoat and avoided responsibility for an initial failure in the computer system that, according to the union, set events in motion. The minister called the decision to allow the Renfe AVE to resume its journey “inexplicable.” The technical and judicial inquiries were still examining the sequence of events. Investigators had not established final causes or individual responsibility.
The collision involved a Renfe AVE carrying 378 passengers and an Iryo train carrying 147. At least 68 people were reported killed and more than 70 injured. The immediate operational context was a failure of the LZB signalling and train-protection system at the Urda communications centre. LZB monitors train movements and can trigger automatic braking in high-risk situations. The failure reportedly led to at least six trains being held over a 69-kilometre section of line.
Reports place the signalling fault at about 8:30 a.m. and the collision at approximately 8:53-8:54 a.m. The AVE resumed movement at around 8:36 and travelled about 25 kilometres in 17 minutes before striking the stationary Iryo train. The Guardia Civil questioned the Adif control-centre operator who was managing traffic. Spain’s Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes Ferroviarios (CIAF) is conducting the technical safety investigation, while a separate judicial inquiry is examining possible legal responsibility. The reported operating protocol required a train restarting after the LZB failure to proceed cautiously and at reduced speed.
CSIF is calling for the Government to explain what happened and accept responsibility, with steps to prevent a recurrence. It also insists that the employee’s presumption of innocence be respected. The union says it has repeatedly sought greater rail investment and stronger safety measures, while also pressing for better infrastructure maintenance. It has also called for updated safety protocols and investment in railway workshops. CSIF objected to Puente’s public characterization of the authorization, saying the investigation had only just begun.
The union also cited Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s acknowledgement that Spain had faced a second rail tragedy in less than a year. The Toledo collision followed the January 2026 Adamuz high-speed rail disaster, in which 46 people were reported killed. CSIF says the response should address train maintenance and the capacity of the rail system. It argues that reducing speeds on routes has been the only safety measure implemented, while railway services have also seen stoppages and delays.
CSIF said it was concerned by the reported working hours because traffic controllers carry out high-responsibility duties. Its demands include an urgent explanation from the Government and measures to address safety and maintenance. In a separate subject, the outlet has covered Madrid’s cultural history in its Fernán Gómez exhibition report.
The union also expressed solidarity with employees of Iryo and Adif, as well as Renfe staff, saying they were distressed by the accident. Puente said he was focused on establishing what happened and addressing the consequences, while CSIF called for his resignation and demanded political accountability.
