> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Catalan Engineers Urge Adif Refoundation - URL: https://barna.news/catalan-engineers-urge-adif-refoundation/ - Published: 2026-10-31T13:46:45.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-31T13:46:45.000Z - Description: The College of Civil Engineers of Catalonia calls for stable, technical leadership at Adif to improve rail safety and efficiency. - Author: Barna.News News Desk - Tags: Transport ## Leadership Instability Undermines Rail Safety Pere Calvet, dean of the Col·legi d’Enginyers de Camins, Canals i Ports de Catalunya (College of Civil Engineers of Catalonia), has called for the refoundation of Adif, Spain’s rail infrastructure manager, citing chronic leadership instability. “Adif has had seven presidents in 14 years; no company can withstand this, neither in this sector nor any other,” Calvet stated. Each change in leadership triggers a cascade of replacements among general directors and senior officials, disrupting long-term planning and technical continuity. Calvet argues that executives should serve minimum four-year technical mandates to ensure stability, particularly for complex, long-cycle railway projects. --- ## Need for Professional, Not Political, Appointments Calvet urges a state-level agreement to depoliticise leadership appointments, ensuring executives are selected on professional merit rather than political affiliation. This reform, he insists, should extend beyond top roles to intermediate management and operational teams, including construction supervisors and maintenance brigades. He warns that the sector is losing experienced professionals to retirement, replaced by less-experienced staff with high turnover, weakening institutional knowledge. > If everyone goes their separate way, the company will not succeed; they all need to agree. --- ## Control Centers Need 'War-Ready' Staff The call follows the recent rail accident in Urda, Toledo, on Wednesday 28 October 2026, which killed at least 68 people. Investigations point to errors in Adif’s Command Post and Regulation and Control Center (CRC) at Atocha, Madrid. Unions have long warned of staff shortages and excessive pressure during peak hours. According to ElEconomista.es, audio recordings from the incident reveal a controller issued a critical instruction, known as a *telefonema*, after the LZB safety system failed. The European ERTMS system, intended to replace LZB, is at least nine months behind schedule. Calvet stresses that traffic controllers need more rigorous training: “We need more people prepared for chaos rather than for routine.” He criticises the current six-month training period, saying operators must be “prepared for war, not for peace,” especially when managing crises under pressure. - Adif recruited 203 new traffic controllers on 5 October 2026. - They will complete training and join the workforce by May 2027. - The Madrid CRC manages the Madrid–South and Northwest corridors. --- ## Delays in Infrastructure Upgrades A 93.83 million euro contract awarded to Thales España GRP in September 2021 for the renewal of signaling systems on the Madrid–Sevilla high-speed line was due for completion by February 2026\. However, ERTMS testing and homologation remain pending. The project included replacing interlockings, updating telecommunications, and installing obstacle detectors. The contract was formalised on 13 October 2021 with a 52-month timeline. Thales later sold its rail division to Hitachi Rail, transferring responsibility for the modernisation. Calvet criticises the slow pace of public tenders and implementation, calling for more agile procedures. He also highlights insufficient budgets for infrastructure maintenance, affecting both high-speed lines and Rodalies commuter services. --- *Sources:* [*La Vanguardia*](https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20261031/11672434/colegi-enginyers-pere-calvet-refundar-adif-mandatos-tecnicos.html?ref=barna.news)*,* [*El País*](https://english.elpais.com/spain/2026-10-30/spains-high-speed-train-control-center-state-of-the-art-software-and-tremendous-pressure.html?ref=barna.news)*,* [*railin.net*](https://www.railin.net/en/news/flash/spanish-traffic-controllers-call-for-more-staff-and-resources/?ref=barna.news)*.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Updated: L2 Metro Line Hit by Delays and Crowds](https://barna.news/l2-metro-line-hit-by-delays-and-crowds/) - [Updated: Ferrocat Plan on Alert for Renfe Strike](https://barna.news/ferrocat-plan-on-alert-for-renfe-strike/) - [Puente considers two-year Madrid-Barcelona AVE cut](https://barna.news/puente-considers-two-year-madrid/) - [Junqueras Demands Action on Rail Maintenance Funding](https://barna.news/junqueras-demands-action-on-rail/)