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L1 faces works between Santa Eulàlia and Mercat Nou to renew the track
Metro Line 1 is undergoing a major renewal between Santa Eulàlia and Mercat Nou, a section used daily by thousands of passengers travelling between Barcelona and l’Hospitalet de Llobregat. The works focus on the railway infrastructure and aim to improve the reliability and safety of the service.
Barcelona's first deputy mayor and TMB chair, Laia Bonet, is due to visit the works area this Thursday alongside l’Hospitalet's first deputy mayor, Jesús Husillos. The tour will begin at Mercat Nou station and will make it possible to check the progress of the works.
TMB chief executive Xavier Flores and Metro network director David Prat will also take part. The visit will include access to the section of track between Mercat Nou and Santa Eulàlia, as well as the facilities linked to the work.
The project affects a particularly sensitive part of L1, one of the most important lines in the metropolitan network. Renewing the track at this point is intended to reduce wear on the infrastructure and prevent problems that could end up resulting in breakdowns, speed restrictions or disruption for passengers.
The work also requires heightened safety measures in the area. Access to the works space is restricted, and those entering during the technical visit must wear closed footwear and long trousers because of the conditions inherent in railway infrastructure undergoing work.
For regular users, this type of work has a less visible effect than a station refurbishment, but it is crucial to the metro's daily operation. The condition of the track directly affects the regularity of trains, the comfort of journeys and the ability to maintain the service without interruptions.
The section between Santa Eulàlia and Mercat Nou also connects two municipalities and forms part of one of the most used corridors for entering and leaving Barcelona from l’Hospitalet. Any improvement at this point therefore affects commuting, connections with other lines and the daily journeys of a large part of the metropolitan area.
The work presents an unusual sight for passengers: tracks lifted up, teams working underground and a section of the metro undergoing a renewal that normally remains out of sight. When it is finished, the aim will be precisely for that work to go unnoticed in day-to-day life, with trains running more steadily between the two stations.