Tired of “traveling in overcrowded carriages that have become veritable saunas.” This is how users feel according to Acusval, the latest consumer association to denounce the lack of air conditioning on Renfe trains. This time, specifically, in the Madrid Cercanías trains where, they say, there is a “risk to public health.”
What has happened? That the Renfe trains in the Madrid Cercanías service are having serious air conditioning problems, an inconvenience that multiplies the effects on travelers just when they coincide with a heat wave and works on a multitude of lines and means of transport.
At least that’s what denounce from the Association of Consumers and Users of Valdemoroa town south of Madrid that many workers take to go to their jobs every day. They claim that medical interventions have been carried out on trains for lipothymia or anxiety attacks among passengers, although they do not have specific data in these cases.
What do they ask for? First, an audit of the state of the air conditioning systems and Renfe maintenance protocols, as well as imposing the corresponding sanctions because “serious violations regarding the protection and safety of travelers” are occurring.
In addition, Acusval requests the immediate immobilization of trains whose air conditioning does not work during episodes of high temperatures. And it is that to questions of Xatakathe association is clear: “the right to safe transportation is being violated.”
What does Renfe say? In Xataka We have contacted the company, who assure us that line C-3 (the one that connects Valdemoro and Madrid) uses the most modern trains in the fleet and that the proper functioning of the air conditioning is not compromised. They claim that they are only aware of two incidents “associated with air conditioning problems in the last two months.” They point out, however, that they are carrying out the necessary maintenance work.
Likewise, Renfe has stressed to us that they have 970 vehicles to offer their public services and that the older series may have problems when the temperature exceeds 36ºC, values that were taken into account at the time of their manufacture, far from the 40ºC registered in recent weeks.
But, in addition, they have launched what they call the Renfe Air Conditioning Improvement Plan. This plan includes actions on the trains to improve the efficiency of the air conditioning at times of high temperatures, more exhaustive maintenance for the change of parts such as the replacement of filters and a new configuration of the equipment to increase the temperature at which they can work. In the specific case of Cercanías Madrid, a specific plan for cleaning and reviewing the trains has been activated since their age is greater than that of other regions.
What happens now? Asked about what this implies, the association confirms that what they have done was report Renfe SA to the General Directorate of Commerce and Consumer Affairs of Madrid. This means that now the office will have to initiate an investigation to find out how the company is acting and, if they consider it appropriate, sanction the company for putting into operation trains in which the air conditioning fails.
“A risk”. The constant heat waves have put train cooling in the spotlight. Last week, Renfe assumed that the trains between Madrid and Badajoz are making the journey, on some occasions, with carriages where the air conditioning did not work. According to the company, this was because the heat was so intense that the cooling system could not cope and the system protected itself, redirecting the air conditioning to the train’s critical systems to keep it running.
In this case, the company has not given us a conclusive answer about the Madrid situation but the matter is more complicated if we take into account that works on the city’s railway network They are saturating the trains that are in operation. To this we must add the multiple works in the alternative options like the Madrid Metro or the conditions on the roads, from the ring roads like the M-50 at main entry arteries such as the A-5.
Is it useful for anything? That’s what we have left to see. According to the association, this goes one step further than the complaints that travelers can make. And if a private customer files a complaint, it remains up in the air what decision the company is going to make. In some cases, yes, money has been returned to customers although been years late. This route is more direct and should produce an in-depth investigation of what happened.
What is certain is that the European Union requires that the public transport service be comfortable and have the minimum required safety measures, as stated in the Regulation on the rights and obligations of railway passengers.
Renfe has always defended that they work to improve the service with high temperatures and that, as in the case of medium distance services, they work on a specific plan to face high temperatures.
Photo | Galandil
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