According to newspaper Público, the company is currently struggling with its fleet, namely a lack of trains due to many of them being out of service after breaking down. Público claims three in every ten carriages for long-distance train travel are currently in the maintenance depot for repairs.
Aggravating the situation further is that CP’s trains are old and the rail yards do not have the human resources to maintain and repair them.
Given this situation, Público reports, “CP is being forced to alter its timetables from this coming month of August”.
“In addition to trains being subject to running more frequently and being more likely to suffer problems, the CP depots have a shortage of personnel for the maintenance and repair of the trains” Público states, adding the situation of the company “will get worse in August, with vacations in the EMEF depot and the increase of demand by the passengers”.
Alternatives to the abolition of services would involve transport by buses or by other trains of lower category.
CP really started to unravel, the newspaper reports, on 6 July, when all services running north from Caldas da Rainha had to be reduced.
“Instead of five trains, CP had only one available to perform the service”, the piece states, elaborating: “Regarding the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades, customers complain about doors and bathrooms that do not work, carriages that have been vandalised and other faults in the maintenance of the fleet.”
This crisis regarding CP’s lack of fleet is also said to be affecting suburban services, particularly those on the Sintra line and especially in the morning.
Minister Pedro Marques had announced the recruitment of 50 more EMEF staff for the company, but according to Público this has had no effect within a year due to staff training and fleet recovery. The purchase of new trains could take up to three years.
CP has yet to comment on this news.