Soap opera of Feve trains: Renfe and Adif excuse themselves for the error in the size of the convoys.
Two mid‑level positions, one at Renfe and the other at Adif, were initially blamed in the Feve trains scandal. The project began service in 2020 and is expected to reach Asturias and Cantabria after a measurement error in the tunnels slowed the rollout. The Ministry of Transport is pursuing answers to satisfy the Head of the Principality, with opposition leaders and user associations branding the handling as incompetent. The individuals in charge of material management and inspection within Renfe Viajeros and Adif’s Inspection and Road Technology were removed from their posts in June 2020, during the tendering phase for the trains. They were responsible for overseeing materials as the operation moved through the Technical and Operations Department of Renfe Viajeros.
Minister Raquel Sánchez awaits the findings of an audit she initiated to determine whether other parties share responsibility for the failure in the train project. The trains had not yet begun production when the sizing error was discovered, yet existing tunnels along the Feve line in Asturias, Galicia, and Cantabria lacked appropriate safety clearances.
Investigation continues as Renfe and Adif acknowledge a sizing error in Feve convoy specifications.
Both Adif and Renfe refer to a press release in which they announced the layoffs, stating they will cooperate fully with the Mitma audit and assess the results before deciding on any further organizational changes. Translation: there could be additional layoffs.
Raquel Sánchez had signaled this development just hours earlier. In Valencia, she stressed that none of the trains ordered three years ago had been produced yet, pointing out that the winning bidder CAF was still finalizing the design and definition of the trains. CAF noted that production would proceed according to the specifications that steer the project. “We expect CAF to decide the final appearance of the trains in the coming months and begin production from there,” she added.
She insisted that no money had been spent on producing these trains. She explained that an error occurred in the design phase, a coincidence between the specifications and the final train design that would need to be clearly defined in the months ahead.
Compensation for the region
Shortly before the dismissals, the regional head, Adrian Barbón, pressed for leadership changes. He used the moment to demand more trains and greater investment as a form of compensation for the delays. Citing Cantabria’s president Miguel Ángel Revilla, Barbón argued that more trains are essential to avoid a stalemate with the Ministry.
Barbón highlighted that the minister confirmed the trains had not been produced when the measurement error was detected. He added that the ministry faces a significant reliability issue and should address it, even if the fault lies with engineers who designed or overlooked the problem, a criticism of the tunnel-related issues.
Renfe and Adif dismiss two managers over trains that do not fit Cantabria and Asturias tunnels.
Barbón affirmed that the trains will be produced as soon as possible. He also insisted that the minister was unaware of the problem and spoke with Revilla and Barbón as soon as the issue came to light. He sought to distinguish the Feve project delays from other rail projects, noting that the Pajares variant has its own timeline and challenges. The final design of the Feve trains will be assessed in due course, and production will depend on meeting safety and design criteria.
Álvaro Queipo, the PP general secretary in Asturias, called for an urgent session of the Infrastructure Alliance to have the Barbón administration explain the situation directly. He urged a united front on Feve trains and warned against allowing political tensions to derail discussions on the project.
“We face a level of disregard from the Sánchez government toward Asturias. Trains that don’t fit tunnels would be laughable if they weren’t causing real delays for residents who would bear longer journeys. Modernization remains years away,” he stated.
Sergio García, a Citizens deputy in the General Assembly, criticized what he called unfair interregional competition. He argued that Asturias should receive the trains required by Cantabria, aligned with actual needs, and pointed out the lack of a robust mobility strategy since 2018. He characterized public discussion about the issue as speculative and populist, noting unresolved regional transport challenges. Some parts of Asturias remain connected to an older rail network, underscoring the urgency of a practical plan for renewal.
Adrián Pumares, director-general of the regional forum, urged Asturias to take control of railway powers to improve service and oppose what he sees as government incompetence in delivering trains that fit through tunnels. He warned that the PSOE’s rail agenda relies on underinvestment and outdated infrastructure, and he advocated negotiating a proper transfer of railway powers to Asturias as part of a constructive resolution.