Spain creates victims' advocate and tightens rail rules after Urda crash

Spain's cabinet approved a package of urgent measures to tighten railway safety and create an Advocate for Victims of Collective Transport Accidents, one of the government's pending commitments to those affected by the Urda crash in Cordoba province, which killed 69 people two weeks ago, the government said. Transport Minister Carlos Cuerpo, who took charge of the ministry last week, brought the two measures to the cabinet.

A royal decree-law contains urgent measures for the rail sector, while a separate regulation sets up the new victims' office inside the government, which will provide victims with continuous psychological, social and legal assistance and protect their rights, dignity and needs, the transport ministry said in a statement.

The decree-law responds to demands from unions, which have called strikes for Tuesday and Thursday over conditions on the railways following the Urda crash, the ministry said. The measures follow a meeting last week between Cuerpo and union representatives, where workers' representatives noted a change in the government's attitude, though not enough to call off the strikes.

The new rules change how train drivers' working time is counted, adding manoeuvres carried out while a vehicle is moving and breaks of under 45 minutes between driving spells by the same driver; periods of 45 minutes or more during tests or inspections will also count as driving time. The law also strengthens the oversight powers of the State Railway Safety Agency, requiring rail operators to give inspectors access to facilities and rolling stock.

A "just culture" chapter is added to the railway sector law, letting safety staff report risks through internal channels or public reporting services with a guarantee of confidentiality, without sanctions if the information is reported in advance and the person cooperates with any investigation. Workers are also recognised as having the right to take "necessary and proportionate" measures in situations of serious and imminent risk, such as halting a train, and will be protected against retaliation except in cases of wilful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence.

On social protection, the law extends reduced retirement-age coefficients for rail staff in exceptionally arduous or dangerous roles, and opens a review to study including other railway job categories exposed to arduous, toxic, dangerous or unhealthy work.