It’s now your turn! The metropolis of Lyon and Sytral, the Lyon public transport authority, have just launched a three-month public consultation on the subject of the express tramway in western Lyon, known as “Teol”, which replaces the idea of the E metro, abandoned at the end of 2022. “We have already proven that we are holding real consultations and, as always, we will listen to the opinions of residents,” insisted the president of the metropolis of Lyon and Sytral Mobilities, Bruno Bernard, this Wednesday during of a press conference.
Thus, the very first question on the form concerns “the desirability of the project”. In summary, is this a good or bad idea? Bruno Bernard has no doubt about the answer. He assured that this project “is a request from the population” and that studies carried out over several years “have confirmed the need to strengthen service in this sector”. Between 40,000 and 60,000 passengers are estimated each day. “It is also a way of offering new mobility solutions, to develop the public transport network, especially in the face of the challenges of the climate emergency,” he explained.
Other (right-wing) elected officials in the metropolis are not of the same opinion and did not wait for the start of the consultation to make it known. Bruno Bernard considered that it was “a political choice” which is based “on the amount that we wish to invest in public transport”. “The mayor who defends his territory legitimately prefers a metro rather than a tram but it is financially impossible. There are others who have clearly understood the advantages of this choice, in particular the possibility of extending it in the future,” he said, emphasizing that it would be “this project and not another.”
Several possible scenarios
For this 6.5 km tram, including 3 to 4 underground, estimated at 800 million euros, several route scenarios are possible and are therefore subject to the vote of the participants. From the Alaï station in Tassin-la-Demi-Lune, the Teol could either go directly to Ménival, or go via Libération and therefore have an additional stop. The positioning of the Charcot underground station is also in the choices to be made: rather near the clinic or at the intersection of Rue du Commandant Charcot and Boulevard des Provinces.
Crossing the Saône is also possible in two places. The first option is Cours Suchet, to connect to Place des archives station and directly join metro A in Perrache. The second is to enter via rue Montrochet, at Hôtel de Région. In both cases, a footbridge to cross the river will have to be built. Sytral specified that “whatever options are chosen, the express tram will join metro B at Jean Macé”.
Public meetings planned in the municipalities concerned
Feedback from the population is also expected on “intermodality [un parking relais à Alaï pourrait être envisagé], active modes, circulation and the insertion of the tramway in the neighborhoods crossed”. On this last subject, Bruno Bernard wanted to reassure, explaining that the institutions had “great experience on tramways”. “We know that this creates road problems, that we have to regain space, and that is why we included this question in the consultation.”
Until February 5, 2024, six public meetings are planned in the municipalities, neighborhoods concerned and nine local stands to interact with residents will be set up and three technical workshops will be held (registration required). To have all the information on this subject, Sytral has dedicated a page on its website. If everything goes as planned, work is scheduled to begin in 2026. “This project is important, it offers new possibilities and we can release it in eight years,” concluded the elected official.