Daniel Sirera, president of the Partido Popular (PP) group on Barcelona City Council, has called on Mayor Jaume Collboni to install safety screens on Barcelona Metro platforms, prioritising stations with the highest passenger numbers or more incidents involving falls onto the tracks.
For regular Metro passengers, the proposal is intended to reduce accidental falls and deter people from entering the rail area improperly. Sirera made the request on Friday, 21 August, in a statement cited by Europa Press.
Sirera said the PP had submitted the measure to the council's security committee last November. He said the municipal government accepted the initiative, but that there had been no progress nine months later.
“Collboni accepted our proposal, but nine months later we are still waiting. Approving initiatives and then putting them in a drawer does not improve the safety of Metro users.”
Sirera points to existing platform doors on L9 and L10
Sirera said platform screen doors are already used on Metro lines L9 and L10. The doors open only when a train has stopped at the station.
- They could reduce the risk of accidental falls onto the tracks.
- They could make it harder for people to enter the rail area by jumping down from platforms.
- They should be considered first where they are most needed, according to Sirera.
He described the installation as costly, while arguing that passenger safety and prevention should take priority.
“We must study extending them to the rest of the network, starting with the stations where they are most necessary. It is an expensive installation, but the safety and prevention of users is an unquestionable priority.”
Reported by europapress.es, Tres Tristes Tigres, Diario Dia, Andoni Berná, Jordi Subirana, À. G, Carla Stavraky, elcatalan.es, Manusa, masstransitmag.com, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.
