The inconveniences suffered by people in wheelchairs at the Mataró station published this summer in La Vanguardia have reached the other extreme. In July, Montse Roig reported in these pages how her mobility and that of other travelers with reduced mobility was totally impeded in Rodalies when the station’s elevator broke down. In September, however, the situation has completely changed. Given the prohibition of crossing through the passage between tracks for safety reasons, Renfe staff provide a taxi for the traveler when they cannot facilitate her crossing to the other platform because the elevator does not work.
Last Monday, however, taking advantage of the fact that there were fewer trains in circulation as it was a holiday in Barcelona, ??the traffic control center authorized the diversion of a train from the usual route – the one on the sea side – to the one closest to the station – on the mountain side – so that the passenger could get on the convoy without having to cross to the other platform. The change was reported over the public address system and caught both Roig, who was not expecting it, and the rest of the travelers who were at the Mataró station by surprise. The latter had to cross the tracks through the underpass and return to the platform where they had entered to get on the train heading to Blanes.
“There were older people, others with baby strollers, tourists with suitcases… I told everyone that it was my fault and I apologized,” explains Roig, who did not receive any reproaches from the rest of the travelers, if not everything. On the contrary, words of support and understanding. She is also full of comments of gratitude to the staff who are usually found at the station in the capital of Maresme, as well as on the rest of the line, where they already know her and help her whenever there is a technical incident in the elevators that she receives. They allow you to be another user of public transport regardless of whether you have reduced mobility or not.
