A TGV running on the TGV Nord line. (drawing) – Patrick Leveque / SIPA
- The government has announced funding for 40% of the Nouvelle Provence Côte d’Azur Line.
- In Toulouse, elected officials are stepping up to demand equity of treatment and state funding for the Bordeaux-Toulouse LGV, a project more advanced than that of the South-East.
It doesn’t work, really doesn’t. Admittedly, on Saturday, Jean Castex came to Toulouse to announce 200 million euros of credit for the third metro line of the Pink City which is to be put into service in 2028. But at the same time, another major announcement was made by the government. That of financing the new Provence-Côte d’Azur line, the overall cost of the work of which is estimated at 3.5 billion euros. The steering committee agreed on funding at 40% for the State and 40% for the communities, the remaining 20% to be requested from Europe.
With @CaroleDelga, we ask the State for territorial equity to develop the LGV on our territory. This ecological issue, job creator, is important to revive the economy. Toulouse must be able to benefit from high-speed rail services! pic.twitter.com/uwlHVQiXxf
– Jean-Luc Moudenc (@jlmoudenc) April 25, 2021
However, on this side of the banks of the Garonne, for months, elected officials have been waiting to know how much will be put to the pot by the State for the future LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse, at a cost of 7.5 billion, to put into service before 2030. This double standard has had the gift of annoying the president of the region, Carole Delga, and the mayor of Toulouse and president of Toulouse Métropole, Jean-Luc Moudenc, who have jointly stepped up to the plate.
The only regional capital more than 3 hours from Paris
“We learned with great astonishment that an agreement had been reached between the State and the communities concerned for the financing, to the tune of 3.5 billion euros, of the New Provence-Côte d’Azur Line (LNPCA) even though the Great Southwestern Railway Project (GPSO), which is much more advanced, is still not accompanied by official state funding. This disparity is not admissible while this line is included as a priority in the mobility orientation law and declared of public utility since 2016 ”, clash the two elected in a press release.
Pointing in passing that their communities have put their hands in their pockets for the Tours-Bordeaux line and that today only the commitment of the State to start the project is lacking.
They therefore ask for equivalent treatment and above all to maintain the schedule, which, according to them, should not be impacted by the line project in the South-East. Especially since Toulouse remains the only regional capital not to be less than 3 hours from Paris by train.