Four cable thefts in six days in the same area between Toledo and Ciudad Real cause delays of up to an hour on the AVE Málaga-Madrid. Adif strengthens surveillance with two additional patrols.
The high-speed service between Málaga and Madrid has experienced its fourth incident due to cable theft in less than a week. This Friday, two failures in the signalling systems —one in the morning and another in the afternoon— caused delays of over an hour on several trains, right in the middle of July's exodus. The infrastructure manager Adif has confirmed that the afternoon incident is related to a new cable theft, the fourth in six days, all concentrated in the same stretch between the provinces of Toledo and Ciudad Real.
Adif strengthens surveillance after the wave of thefts
Last Wednesday, Adif announced an increase in surveillance in the Manchego area, where it already had three patrols. Two additional patrols will be added, according to sources from the public company. Furthermore, coordination has been established with the State Security Forces and Corps to try to curb these vandalistic acts. However, the measures have not been sufficient to prevent another theft that has once again halted traffic on the Southern Corridor.
Adif describes the incidents as “technically difficult to resolve,” as the cable cuts affect the safety systems of the track. This leads to prolonged stops and inconveniences for travellers, in addition to “potentially causing safety issues,” they warn. On Tuesday, delays reached 50 minutes, and the previous Saturday exceeded an hour on some routes.
A July to forget on the Southern Corridor
Not only are thefts impacting the line. In the first eight days of July, Adif has reported nearly a dozen incidents: an electrical failure, a problem at the Atocha maintenance station, a signalling failure, a nearby forest fire, and the aforementioned cable thefts. This Thursday, another fire near Alcolea de Córdoba completely halted traffic in the afternoon. In total, only two days of the month have been free of setbacks.
The situation recalls what happened in May of last year, when the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, denounced “serious sabotage” in the same area of Urda, La Sagra, and Mora (Toledo). At that time, four cable thefts occurred within a 10-kilometre radius, affecting more than 6,300 passengers on 21 trains during the return operation of the May bridge. The thieves seem to prefer dates with higher passenger traffic.
Advice for travellers facing delays
For passengers planning to travel between Málaga and Madrid in the coming days, Adif recommends checking the status of the service before leaving home via their website or the Renfe app. In the event of a delay exceeding 30 minutes, travellers are entitled to claim financial compensation, according to European Union regulations. Additionally, Renfe usually provides alternative road services when incidents are prolonged.
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