Trains and subways will have an "electronic co-pilot" as a safety measure

The Balearic Government has begun implementing a new rail safety system on Mallorca's rail services (SFM), the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), which functions as an "electronic co-pilot." Among other things, the new system will constantly monitor the speed of trains and metros and automatically control their braking or stopping when any incident is detected. The measure, which will involve an investment of more than 50 million euros, will begin implementation this year through a pilot project. In the case of the metro, it will be operational from 2027. From then on, its implementation will begin on the rail network and will cover the entire Line 2 and Line 2 network. The President of the Government, Marga Prohens, and the Minister of Housing, Territory and Mobility, José Luis Mateo, along with a technical manager, visited the Centralized Traffic Center (CTC) to learn firsthand about the phases of the project and the impact it will have on rail safety in Mallorca. Train speed

The system, Prohens explained, functions as an "electronic co-pilot" that constantly monitors train speed, controls braking and stopping commands, and automatically intervenes in the event of any incident or disruption. In this way, the regional leader emphasized, "the risk associated with the human factor" will be significantly reduced, and "constant communication between the track, the trains, and the control centers" will be guaranteed. It will also entail investment in track equipment, adaptation of rolling stock, and the creation of a dedicated control center to manage the new system. "It is our obligation to guarantee the safety of the 12 million users who trust us to take the train or metro each year. That trust must be repaid, and we are repaying it with investment, technology, and foresight," she noted.

SFM's head of communication and signaling, Joan Autonell, has stated that the new system is "a top-tier safety tool" that will be implemented "progressively and systematically." The pilot phase will begin on the metro, where it is expected to be fully operational from next year, and will subsequently be extended to the rest of the rail lines until the end of 2029. "With the system fully deployed, we will gain in safety, regularity, and efficiency. We will have more information, greater responsiveness, and superb processes."

Negotiations with the workers

The formal presentation of ERTMS, which had already been announced on several occasions, took place amidst ongoing safety negotiations between SFM management and workers. Both sides will meet again this week to make progress on the measures proposed by the works council, which warned that the threat of partial strikes is growing as the talks drag on. Prohens said that the measure presented this Monday will represent "a giant leap" in safety and will put Mallorca's rail network "ahead of what it would be required to be, at the highest European standards." "There was an under-equipped safety system, we are aware of that, and this administration's budgetary commitment in this area, of more than 120 million euros, cannot be questioned," he argued. SFM management will continue to listen to proposals "that contribute positively and are feasible," but insisted that the Mallorca train is already "a safe means of transport." Although ERTMS was not among the demands of the works council, Prohens did mention the imminent launch of the traffic safety committee, which was one of the workers' main demands. "Two engineers have been brought on board to move forward with the implementation of a management system that will allow us to assess risks, define preventive measures, and ensure compliance with safety standards," he emphasized.