Increased security on Barcelona‘s metro: over 800 guards at 165 stations 

Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB) has increased its budget for safety on the subway system up to €168 million for the next four years – an increase of €32 million from the previous budgets.  

The new safety plan foresees hiring 50 more guards, bringing the total up to 800 agents. In addition, their working hours will increase 5% from the current contract.  

The security workers will oversee safety at the city’s 165 metro stations as well as the trains, repair garages, and depots.  

This increase in safety is due to the 7.5% increase in users of the metro. "The growth in passengers has made us change the security system so we can cover every aspect of the metro so that it is a safe space for everyone," Laia Bonet, president of TMB, told the media on Thursday.  

The new plan also includes the possibility of adding extra support for big events that require more guards, like concerts or sporting events.  

During working days there are 421 agents, and that number increases to 476 during the weekends and on holidays. TMB also collaborates with other security agents such as the Mossos d'Esquadra Catalan police and Guàrdia Urbana city police. 

The agents will also be given new technologies to help them register incidents easily and to improve localization with other guards.  

However, the guards are not working alone, as there are currently 9,796 security cameras that are "always recording" both on the trains (3,396 cameras) and in the stations (6,400).  

Another type of "intelligent" video system is used in the depots where metro trains are parked. These cameras notify when there is an abnormal movement, typically when there are groups of graffiti painters intending to vandalize the metros.