Workers from Athens' urban rail system have sent a legal notice to transport authorities, demanding the immediate withdrawal of aging metro trains due to serious safety risks. The notice was addressed to Urban Rail Transport S.A. (STASY), the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA), and Greece’s state asset management agency (HCAP).

Specifically, the “United Workers’ Union,” representing metro employees, has raised alarm over the deteriorating condition of Line 1—the oldest metro line in Athens. They are calling for “the withdrawal of the 8th series of trains, originally introduced in 1982, and a thorough inspection of any potentially faulty safety systems. These trains must not return to service unless they are 100% safe. Railway safety is not something we can gamble with.”

In the legal notice, published by Documento, workers refer to a shocking incident on New Year’s Day when the doors of a moving train unexpectedly opened.

They explain:

“According to the train’s design, its safety systems should have prevented such an incident. However, after inspections at the maintenance depot, it was discovered that the system responsible for keeping doors securely shut while in motion was malfunctioning. It’s important to highlight that the exact cause of this failure has not yet been fully identified, meaning there could also be an issue with another critical train system.”

Workers also warn that “essential heavy maintenance is not being carried out due to staff shortages and the inability to properly manage metro operations with the remaining available trains.” They add: “We will not allow the authorities to turn us into the next Tempe stationmaster”—a reference to last year’s devastating train crash in Greece, widely blamed on mismanagement and safety failures.

______________________________________________

Are you seeking news from Greece presented from a progressive, non-mainstream perspective? Subscribe monthly or annually to support TPP International in delivering independent reporting in English. Don’t let Greek progressive voices fade.

Make sure to reference “TPP International” and your order number as the reason for payment.