Madrid Metro has announced that the Community of Madrid has taken significant steps towards social inclusion by training over 1,700 individuals with intellectual disabilities in navigating the Metro network independently. Since its launch in 2018, the Support Line for the Reinforcement of Autonomy (LARA) has conducted 150 personalised training sessions, enabling users with special needs to confidently use public transportation.
This initiative, timed with the International Day for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, had been showcased during a live demonstration attended by Regional Minister of Housing, Transport, and Infrastructure, Jorge Rodrigo. The event had taken place between Nuevos Ministerios and Colombia stations on Line 8, featuring programme participants Lara, Carmen, Juan, and Raúl.
Regional Minister Rodrigo credited the programme’s inception to Lara, a young woman with Down’s syndrome who sought assistance from Metro Madrid to commute independently. “Her fantastic experience encouraged us to set up this project, which bears her name,” Rodrigo said. Now, the programme honours her initiative by empowering others through structured, personalised training sessions.