Urgent Motion Over Second Bus Fire
The CUP will table an urgent motion at this week's municipal plenary session in Sant Cugat del Vallès, demanding immediate explanations and accountability over the fire that destroyed a city bus on Avinguda de Bilbao on Monday 21 September 2026. The incident occurred at around 15:05, when flames broke out in a scheduled service bus. Five firefighting units were dispatched to the scene, and local police also responded. No injuries were reported, as all passengers and crew were outside the vehicle at the time.
Pattern of Safety Failures
This marks the second bus fire in the city since June 2025, when emergency crews extinguished an engine fire on a vehicle at Carrer de Can Solà. The repeated incidents have raised concerns over the condition of the city’s public transport fleet. The CUP argues that the event reflects a broader deterioration in public transport infrastructure, long awaiting renewal through the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB). The party cites an existing agreement between the Ajuntament and the AMB for the transfer of urban bus services and the introduction of 27 new buses, as well as a €17 million payment to the municipality for immediate transport improvements.
The degradation of public transport is not just technical, it's a social and class issue.
Demand for Independent Technical Inquiry
The motion calls for a thorough and independent technical investigation into both fires by the Ajuntament, the AMB, and the operating company. If negligence or contractual breaches are found, the CUP insists on administrative, financial, or judicial action as appropriate. The party stresses that residents, particularly working-class commuters, cannot be expected to rely on public transport when vehicles are in such poor condition that they pose a safety risk.
Traffic on Avinguda de Bilbao between Carrer de Venezuela and Carretera de Vallvidrera remained closed during emergency operations. No official cause for the fire has yet been determined.
Primary sources: Ajuntament de Sant Cugat del Vallès. Reported by totsantcugat.cat, TOT Sant Cugat, Ajuntament de Sant Cugat Sesgarrigues, Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona.
