Mayors across the Lleida region have criticised the end of free Rodalies train tickets, which came into effect yesterday. Many users also expressed resignation, believing the service is still far from normal despite the end of the free travel period.
Some passengers reported a lack of sufficient information at stations regarding the change. The free tickets had been announced to end for several days, but the decision still surprised many.
Alberto Puivecino, general secretary of the CCOO Railway Sector, called the end of free passes "hasty". He explained that speed restrictions and incidents continue to affect services, and until these are minimised, "it makes no sense to penalise the traveller". Sources from the Alferro railway union agreed, stating that trains will "take time" to run without limitations.
Mayors Call for Extended Free Travel
Most mayors from towns along the Manresa line lamented the decision. Marc Solsona, mayor of Mollerussa, highlighted that the "increase in frequencies has been very good" and encouraged many users to incorporate train travel into their routines. He believes the free travel "should be extended".
Rosa Maria Perelló, mayor of Tàrrega, Jordi Estiarte, mayor of Bellpuig, and Carles Palau, mayor of Bell-lloc d'Urgell, echoed this sentiment. Palau added, "making us pay for a service that will take a long time to function at 100% seems outrageous to me."
Francesc Lluch, mayor of Sant Guim de Freixenet, considered the measure "logical" but acknowledged that "many improvements are still needed". In contrast, Jan Pomés, mayor of Cervera, noted that the end of free travel "comes after months of recovery work" and stressed that "public services have a cost."
Renfe Invests in Maintenance Workshops
Renfe is investing €163.7 million until 2030 to expand the capacity of its Rodalies maintenance workshops, the first such investment in nearly 50 years. Three new facilities will be built in Manresa, Sant Celoni, and Granollers. Existing workshops in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Sant Andreu Comtal-Barcelona, and Ripoll will see their capacity increased.
These upgrades will allow Renfe mechanics to repair up to 51 carriages simultaneously, compared to the current 22. Additionally, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat trains, which will start operating on the Manresa line later this year, will have their own maintenance workshop at Pla de la Vilanoveta in Lleida.
