AP-7 motorway closes southbound at Martorell as authorities warn of multi-day disruption

The AP-7 motorway will be closed southbound at Martorell from 6pm on Wednesday, with the disruption expected to last several days, according to the Catalan Traffic Service (SCT).

SCT director, Ramon Lamiel, said the decision was taken on safety grounds because of the risk of part of the motorway giving way following Tuesday's train accident in nearby Gelida. 

"This is a road safety intervention," Lamiel said. "It was requested by the road operator due to a potential risk of collapse."

He added that the Spanish transport ministry initially proposed shutting the AP-7 in both directions, but authorities agreed to limit the closure to the southbound carriageway to avoid the severe disruption a full shutdown would have caused.

Authorities initially announced the closure would begin from 3.30pm, but it was subsequently delayed.

The train, which derailed when a wall partially collapsed onto its cab, is expected to be removed overnight. A second technical assessment will be carried out on Thursday, after which officials hope to determine how long the closure will remain in place.

The AP-7 is a key north-south artery running through Catalonia from the French border, past Barcelona, and on into the neighbouring Valencian region.