- LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse
The LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse is an approximately 200 km long French
high speed rail project reserved for passenger traffic betweenBordeaux andToulouse . Its dual aim is:* to ensure high-speed service of the Toulouse region by extension of the
LGV Sud Europe Atlantique and make possible a journey time betweenParis and Toulouse of about 3 hours
* to be part of a proposed "Southern Link", allowing the connection of the Atlantic and Mediterranean fromBordeaux toNice via Toulouse,Montpellier andMarseille .Features
The project was the subject of preliminary studies between
2002 and2004 by RFF.These proposed:
* serving Bordeaux and Toulouse through their existing central stations (Bordeaux St-Jean and Toulouse Matabiau)
* two intermediary stops atAgen andMontauban , either through their existing stations, or by the creation of new stations on the high-speed line
* a route between Agen and Toulouse following theGaronne valley and Autoroute 62
* three route options between Bordeaux and Agen: to the north of the Garonne valley; running along the valley; to the south, passing byCaptieux . This third option, currently favoured, would permit a common first section between the LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse and the extension of theLGV Sud Europe Atlantique from Bordeaux to the Spanish border. Additionally, it would permit calling directly at Mont de Marsan and would offer direct access to the towns of the Pyrenees area (Pau,Lourdes ,Tarbes ).Short term plans do not include a bypass of the Bordeaux area; TGVs providing the
Paris -Toulouse service would use Bordeaux St-Jean station. The line would begin Southwest ofBordeaux at Hourcade and rejoin the regular network Northwest of Toulouse at St-Jory. The Bordeaux shunt project (Libourne -La Réole) seems somewhat incompatible with the common section option.Line speed will be 320 km/h, enabling a journey time of 59 minutes between Bordeaux and Toulouse, and of 3:14 between Paris and Toulouse (3:07 without a stop at Bordeaux).
Service is planned to begin around
2020 , for a cost of approximately 3 billion Euro.Progress
The public inquiry into the project ended
25 November 2005 . This revealed:
* a large consensus in favour of the project at Agen, Montauban and Toulouse. Among the arguments advanced were the access of Toulouse and the Garonne Valley to the high-speed network, the wish to develop rail as a less polluting transport option, and the need to respond to the saturation of Toulouse-Blagnacairport by a transfer of air passengers towards rail. The continuation of the project up toNarbonne was also cited.
* some opposition from the southernGironde area and particularly theCaptieux region, where residents feared the destruction of natural sites and felt that the upgrading of the existing line would make more sense. The delegates from Aquitaine wished priority to be given to the extension of theLGV Sud Europe Atlantique to the Spanish border.On
13 April 2006 , the RFF administrative committee decided to continue its studies, taking into account the conclusions of the public inquiry. It agreed on a new station to serve Montauban, and decided to study more precisely the two options for Agen (new or existing station). The different options between Bordeaux and Agen are to be thoroughly investigated to determine the route after the public inquiry on the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique line is completed.The first of three draft laws unveiled by the
French Government on30 April 2008 granted the French Government the right to purchase land and actively seek bidders to build the LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse line. Funding for the line comes as part of a massive programme of expansion of High Speed Lines in France, totalling 2,000km of additional high speed rail by2020 .ee also
*
TGV
*LGV Sud Europe Atlantique External links
* [http://www.rff.fr/ Réseau ferré de France (in French)]
* [http://www.debatpublic-lgvbordeaux-toulouse.org/ LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse Commission (in French)]
* [http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2008/06/8493/long_term_tgv_plans.html Railway Gazette article detailing French Government draft law for LGV expansion up to 2020]
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