Decision that impacts Leganés
The recent decision by the Government of the Community of Madrid not to extend Line 11 of the Metro to the urban area of Leganés has generated intense debate about priorities in public transport. The news was announced by Pablo Rodríguez Sardinero, managing director of the Regional Transport Consortium (CRTM), who argued that the current infrastructure already provides adequate coverage for the 200,000 inhabitants of the municipality.
The analysis conducted by the CRTM is based on two technical reports that conclude that the demand does not justify the investment needed to bring the metro to Leganés. In a previous study, it was estimated that only between 500 and 1,000 daily travellers would use a new station in La Fortuna. A more recent analysis raised this figure to between 2,000 and 4,000 daily users, but still, the CRTM considers this insufficient.
Despite the criticism, Rodríguez Sardinero defended that Leganés has a consolidated intermodal network, including six MetroSur stations, as well as connections with the C-5 Cercanías line and an extensive network of intercity buses. Frequencies during peak hours are quite competitive, ranging from 5 to 6 minutes.
However, this decision has provoked significant political backlash, especially with the Más Madrid party. Deputy María Acín openly criticized the regional government, pointing out that an alarming 78% of workers in Leganés must travel outside the municipality daily, facing average journeys of nearly 49 minutes.
Acín argues that this refusal is more about political interests than solid technical criteria, accusing the government led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso of prioritising investments in areas deemed strategically important from an electoral standpoint while ignoring the urgent needs of southern Madrid.
As this debate over the future of public transport in Leganés intensifies, it remains to be seen whether there will be changes in political decisions or if this technical-focused approach will continue. Citizens are looking for clear answers on how their daily needs will be addressed and whether they will ever have a direct metro connection from their urban centre.
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