Unidas Podemos asks to ban air travel in Spain as long as you can go by train in less than four hours

Unidas Podemos has registered a battery of amendments to the Sustainable Mobility Bill, including one to prohibit air travel on all routes within Spanish territory that have a direct rail alternative and last less than four hours.

As explained by the 'purple' formation, with their proposals they seek to promote decarbonization and protect the public transport service, as well as "put transport safety at the center".

Likewise, from United We Can point out in their amendment that the Ministry of Transport will specify the conditions of application of this measure, in particular the characteristics of the railway itineraries that the railway connections must meet to ensure an adequate service. This measure, they have insisted, is included in regulation 1008/2008 of the European Parliament.

In addition, they propose that within a year from the promulgation of the law, the Ministry of Transport submits a report to the European Parliament on the possibility of eliminating national and international cargo flights to or from airports with a volume of merchandise traffic greater than 100,000 tons per year, provided that there is an alternative rail transport lasting less than six hours.

In its amendments, collected by Europa Press, the confederal group includes specific decarbonisation objectives, as well as the promotion of rail transport, in order to achieve climate neutrality in the public transport system before 2050.

Thus, a carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions target of -100% is established for goods transport trucks to be achieved in the shortest possible time before 2035 or the establishment of a standard of zero greenhouse gas emissions in moorings in ports -among others-.

The deputy of Unidas Podemos, Rafael Mayoral, explained that "in order to guarantee the right to mobility of citizens, a public transport system is necessary that at the same time has quality standards that guarantee the rights of users and the rights of workers as a fundamental element".

In this sense, Unidas Podemos proposes in its amendments the creation of applications at the service of users that guarantee access to public mobility alternatives, such as buses, trains or taxis, with integrated information and sales systems.

PUT DUTIES TO THE VTC

They have also registered an amendment to guarantee the transparency and stability of transport rates, including those established by algorithm, as well as to establish regulated rates in publicly owned services or establish public service obligations or private companies. This amendment includes a request from the Taxi Project, an organization that precisely denounced the algorithm of companies such as Uber or Cabify for possible anti-competitive practices.

On the other hand, the amendments also include the need to involve workers in the transport sector so that they can report on actions or omissions that could put safety at risk, as well as in decision-making about the mobility of the means of transport. transport when they appreciate risks, guaranteeing, yes, their indemnity against possible reprisals from the employer.