A tunnel section of the extensive Madrid Metro network has been out of service for more than two years due to serious construction defects, and there had also been repeated interruptions to service in previous years. At the same time, numerous buildings on surface have been permanently damaged by cracks and warping, and some have had to be completely demolished due to the current risk of collapse. Whether the renovation of the facilities will be successful in the long term remains questionable.
We are talking about line 7B of the Madrid Metro, also known as the ‘Metro Este’, which is operated independently from the main line 7 coming from the city centre with longer frequencies and shorter vehicles. Passengers therefore have to change at the Estadio Metropolitano (formerly: Estadio Olímpico), the football arena of Atlético de Madrid club, and pass through the ticket control again if they want to continue on line 7B in the direction of Coslada and San Fernando de Henares. A similar operating practice can also be observed on other outer sections of the Madrid Metro, on lines 9 and 10.
Construction defects had already become apparent shortly after the line opened in 2007/2008, particularly on the outer section of line 7B between San Fernando station and the Hospital Henares terminus. The tunnel floor is sinking in various places, in other places it is rising due to water penetrating from below, e.g. by around 5 cm each year near the terminus. On the surface, these faults have caused damage to more than 70 apartment blocks, 43 of which will probably have to be demolished. The total number of flats affected is more than 600, and around 80 families had to leave their flats altogether and were rehoused elsewhere.
Obviously, in the euphoria of the generous metro expansion in the Madrid area at that point of time, there was a push to complete Line 7B in San Fernando de Henares particularly quickly without sufficiently checking the construction quality. IN addition, pressure was high to be able to hold the opening ceremony in time for the upcoming regional elections. Geological tests were not taken into account or were not carried out with sufficient care.
As a result, metro services have been interrupted for weeks or months on eight occasions to date, with buses replacing trains on the affected end section. Trains have not been running here at all since August 2022. As the need to renew the tunnel infrastructure was also evident on other sections of Line 7B, the section from San Fernando de Henares to the Barrio de Puerto station in Coslada has also been out of service for at least 9 months since 22 July 2024. This means that there is currently only a shuttle service with two trains – between the only stop Barrio del Puerto and the Estadio Metropolitano, where passengers still have to change trains.
The construction of the 15 km long, completely underground line 7B cost around EUR 645 million at the time. Over the past 17 years, there have also been expenses in the tens of millions of euros for the numerous subsequent improvements. However, none of this has been a lasting success so far, so that recently, for the first time, various politicians have even announced that the final section is not really suitable for refurbishment and that the last three stations on the line could remain permanently closed.
In addition to the above-mentioned costs, there are also further amounts totalling at least EUR 120 million as compensation to the affected residents of the damaged houses.
Without too much exaggeration, in view of the current situation and the uncertain prospects, it is probably safe to speak of a medium-sized disaster. Hopefully, a solution acceptable to those involved and the residents will be found in the foreseeable future, not least to restore an attractive public transport service in the area.
