Urgent intervention at Plaza España station
The Madrid Metro has announced the temporary closure of Line 3 (L3) between the Sol and Moncloa stations, starting at 6:00 a.m. this Friday. This decision, communicated with barely ten hours' notice, responds to an urgent intervention necessary to repair damage to the track platform at Plaza España station. Authorities have indicated that these problems were caused by the heavy rains that affected the capital last month.
According to internal sources from the Metro, the first signs of the problem emerged when train drivers began to notice unusual tremors while passing through the affected section. This phenomenon was attributed to the softening of the ground beneath the platform, leading to excessive water accumulation and a subsequent slight sinking of the ground. Alfonso Blanco, General Secretary of Comisiones Obreras (CC OO) at Metro, highlighted that this situation could have evolved into a more serious problem if immediate action had not been taken.
Although a temporary speed limit for trains was initially planned to assess the behaviour of the tracks, technicians decided to close the service to carry out more extensive repairs. These include the demolition of the concrete slab and the remediation of the underlying ground, as well as improvements to drainage to prevent similar future incidents.
However, criticism has not been long in coming. Many users expressed their discontent on social media due to the short notice given for this closure. Travellers pointed out that warnings should have been provided earlier, given that L3 is one of the most used lines within the Madrid metro system. Comments such as "there should be more foresight" or "there is not enough information" reflect a widespread sentiment among those who rely on public transport daily.
To mitigate the impact on mobility during these three days without service, a free special bus service has been established between Moncloa and Callao, operating on schedules coinciding with those of the metro. Additionally, those needing to travel between Sol and Moncloa can use other available lines or resort to alternative services such as EMT's line 133.
As the works progress, it remains to be seen how this interruption will affect daily flows in a city where every minute counts. The initial lack of clear information has raised concerns among both workers and users about how future similar incidents will be managed.
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