That will put a little butter in the spinach to a project relegated to Greek Calends. The European Union has released 6.3 million euros to finance studies for the first phase (up to Béziers) of the high-speed line (LGV) between Montpellier (Hérault) and Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales). This envelope represents “50% of the amount of the 2023-2024 studies planned for the finalization of the program”, rejoice the State, the Occitanie region and SNCF Réseau, in a joint press release.
This grant “confirms the importance” of the project, welcomes Carole Delga (PS), the president of the Occitanie region. “A major step which allows (…) to continue the studies in accordance with the schedule”, notes Catherine Trevet, the director of SNCF Réseau Occitanie. For the prefect Pierre-André Durand, it is an “essential project for the continuity of the network (…) at high speed between France and Spain”.
A project estimated at 6 billion euros
Between Montpellier and Perpignan, there is no LGV. Of course, TGVs ensure this journey every day, but without putting the rubber on. And this project, estimated at 6 billion euros, is far from new: the very first time it was acted upon was… in 1995, when the Madrid agreements were signed. The first section, between Montpellier and Béziers, could be put into service in 2034. The second, up to Perpignan, not before 2040.
The LGV will have big advantages, according to its defenders. First, it will relieve the classic line, overloaded, and it will allow the development of TER. By betting, too, on freight, the LGV should make it possible to remove too many trucks on the A9 motorway. It will also allow travelers to gain forty minutes between Paris and Perpignan.