FRANCE

[Administrator]

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[Administrator]

€510m package to renew inter-city fleet

26 Sep 2013


FRANCE: Meeting on September 26, the SNCF board approved a draft financing agreement which paves the way for replacement of the ageing fleet used to operate longer-distance passenger trains on the conventional network, known as trains d’équilibre du territoire.

Loss-making services on 38 designated routes, used by around 100 000 passengers per day, are supported by the government under an agreement signed in December 2010. This provided €210m a year for three years to support Corail, Intercités, Téoz and Lunéa services, which are now all grouped under the Intercités brand.

The convention committed the government to investing €300m for rolling stock refurbishment. Earlier this year the ministry announced that €400m would be allocated to start the fleet renewal process, and on July 9 Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault committed to complete replacement of the TET fleet.

The package endorsed by the SNCF board totals €510m, plus an option for an additional €100m. Much of the money would go on a build of 30 Alstom Régiolis multiple-units, configured for longer-distance operations. These would replace diesel locomotives and loco-hauled stock, offering an estimated 30% saving in energy consumption. The remainder would fund the construction of depots to maintain and service the new trains. The first vehicles are due to be delivered in 2015.

Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier welcomed the decision, noting that it ‘reflects the priority that the government wants to give to trains on the conventional lines, because it is really necessary to offer regular passengers better service and more comfort.’

The state contribution will be provided by the transport infrastructure funding agency AFITF, which is due to confirm the package at its meeting on October 3. This would then enable SNCF to confirm the various contracts.

Cuvillier also welcomed the board’s decision to extend the TET operating agreement until December 31 2014, which would provide an additional year to work on ‘redefining’ the Intercités service offer, as well as enhancing co-ordination with the regions and TER organising authorities. There have been suggestions that some trains making many stops will be transferred to local control, whilst others will be accelerated to provide a greater differentiation between national and regional services.

source: RG

[Administrator]

Bombardier unveils pre-series Omneo EMU

25 Sep 2013

FRANCE: At a ceremony at its Crespin plant in northern France on September 25, Bombardier Transportation unveiled its Omneo double-deck electric multiple-unit to guests including SNCF President Guillaume Pepy and representatives of the six regions which have ordered the trains to date.

Bombardier said that the six-car EMU for Rhône-Alpes unveiled at Crespin was the eighth of a batch of nine pre-series sets to be produced. These are to undergo intensive approval and type tests ahead of series production of the remaining 120 trains on order, delivery of which is expected within two years.

Designated Régio2N by SNCF, the Omneo trains can be delivered in formations varying from six to 10 articulated cars. The Omneo is designed to suit multiple applications from regional to long-distance operation, with maximum speeds of between 160 km/h and 200 km/h for the inter-city option. Train lengths can vary between 81 m and 135 m, and a variety of interior configurations would be offered to meet market demand.

Under a framework agreement with SNCF, Bombardier has options to supply up to 860 trains, but the initial build will be used in the Aquitaine, Bretagne, Centre, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Rhône-Alpes regions.

'This train is the right choice to meet the future needs of regional transportation not only because of its large capacity, passenger comfort and high performance but also thanks to the many configurations available, such as the InterCity V200 version', commented Lutz Bertling, President of Bombardier Transportation. 'Bombardier's Crespin teams have met an outstanding technical challenge by delivering a completely new industrial product as complex as this one, and in such a short time-frame.'

source: RG

[Administrator]

Grand Paris Express contracts awarded

13 Sep 2013

Having approved a budget of €5·3bn in July for the first phase of its ambitious programme to develop a network of automated metro lines around the capital, Société du Grand Paris has now awarded a tranche of design and project management contracts.

Forming part of a sustainable development strategy for the region which will improve access to outlying districts, the Grand Paris Express project envisages the construction of 200 km of new lines and 72 stations, able to carry around 2 million passengers a day.

Technical assistance with electrical and mechanical systems for lines 15, 16 and 17 will be provided by EGIS and SETEC-ITS, including tunnel and station equipment, trackwork, power supplies and communications systems. SGP will be supported in the specification and procurement of rolling stock, automation equipment and the control centres control systems by Systra, working in conjunction with its partner-shareholder RATP.

Systra will also be responsible for systems integration and performance management. It will assist SGP with commissioning successive phases of the network between 2020 and 2030, starting with the southern section of Line 15 between Noisy-Champs and Pont-de-Sèvres.

Two separate contract cover infrastructure design and construction supervision on this initial route. The 21 km southeastern section of Line 15 between Noisy-Champs and Villejuif Louis Aragon, together with eight stations, will be managed by a Systra-led joint venture including architects ANMA Agence Nicolas Michelin Associés, Agence Richez Associés, Agence Valode and Pistre Architects and Atelier d’Architecture King Kong.

Infrastructure on the southwestern section from Villejuif Louis Aragon to Pont de Sèvres plus the two maintenance depots will be the responsibility of another group led by SETEC, including Ingérop and architects Philippe Gazeau, ArThème Associés, Atelier Barani, Périphériques Architectes, Brunet Saunier Architecture and Agence Duthilleul. Separate contracts are to be awarded later this month for design and construction of the stations at Villejuif Institut Gustave Roussy and Noisy Champs.

Both consortia will be responsible to the Artemis grouping of Artelia, Arcadis and B G Ingénieurs Conseil which was appointed by SGP last year as overall project manager.

source: RG

[Administrator]

SNCF orders electro-diesel inter-city trainsets

02 Oct 2013

FRANCE: National operator SNCF has awarded Alstom a €346m contract to supply 34 Coradia Liner electro-diesel multiple-units. These will replace locomotive-hauled stock on trains d'équilibre du territoire inter-city services on the conventional network from December 2015.

Alstom said the Coradia Liner would be 'half-way between' TER regional express trains and TGV high speed trainsets, and 'designed in such a way as to provide inter-city lines with a specific identity, more comfort and services with an improved performance.'

The 34 units ordered on September 30 will be six-car sets 100 m long, configured to have a capacity of 267 passengers. They will offer platform-level boarding for easy access, large doors and gangways and 'spacious passenger areas' with partitions to reduce noise. They will have large windows, indirect interior lighting and new seats with upholstered armrests, power sockets and coat hooks.

The Coradia Liner will be operate at up to 160 km/h under 25 kV 50 Hz or 1·5 kV DC electrification or powered by six roof-mounted 350 kW MAN diesel engines. Alstom said the units would be lighter than SNCF's existing locomotive-hauled inter-city trains, with better acceleration and braking and 30% lower energy consumption. Technical equipment will be mounted on the roof to facilitate access for maintenance, and Traintracer monitoring software will be used to provide diagnostic information.

Six of Alstom's 10 French sites will be involved in the Coradia Liner project, with Reichshoffen responsible for assembly, Ornans providing traction motors, Le Creusot the bogies, Tarbes the traction systems, Villeurbanne onboard computers and Saint-Ouen design. Production is scheduled to begin in July 2014.

source: RG

[Administrator]

RFF presents €15bn modernisation plan

20 Sep 2013

FRANCE: Investment totalling €15bn over six years would be concentrated on the conventional network to improve reliability, capacity and safety under a plan which infrastructure manager RFF has submitted to Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier.

The minister requested the plan following a third audit undertaken by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne last year.

To improve the reliability of both passenger and freight services, the number of incidents caused by infrastructure failures would be reduced and the resilience of the network improved to reduce external causes of delay such as level crossing accidents, cable theft and vandalism. Better operating procedures would reduce the impact of incidents causing delay.

Measures to increase capacity include further deployment of GSM-R and ETCS and prioritising investment at key locations such as Paris Lyon, Lyon Part-Dieu and Marseille. RFF says that the number of trains that can be operated on the busiest high speed lines, such as Paris - Lyon, would also be increased.

Safety improvements would include a target to cut by half the number of fatalities caused by trespass on the network. The plan also aims to make journeys 'simpler' through the introduction of regular-interval timetables, accessibility improvements and better provision of information.

RFF President Jacques Rapoport said that the plan aimed to create a modern, reliable and comfortable network for the nation. 'That will be the main task of the future single infrastructure manager', he said, with plans for creating this entity known as GIU to be presented to parliament shortly.

source: RG

[Administrator]

Cuvillier presents SNCF reform proposals

17 Oct 2013

SNCF is to be reinstated as the overall managing entity for rail infrastructure and operations under draft legislation presented to the Conseil des Ministres by Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier on October 16. The bill is expected to go to parliament following municipal elections in March 2014.

The ministry said the ‘ambitious’ programme for reform of the rail sector would end the separation of infrastructure introduced with the creation of Réseau Ferré de France in 1997, bringing together the different elements in the present structure which are ‘scattered and badly co-ordinated’.

The bill will create a national rail group, with SNCF becoming the ‘mother’ organisation setting strategy and overseeing two publicly-owned subsidiaries. SNCF Réseau will merge RFF with the SNCF Infra maintenance business and national traffic management body DCF to form a unified infrastructure business, while SNCF Mobilités will be responsible for passenger and freight train operations.

The legislation also aims to stabilise the debt accumulated by RFF and SNCF, which currently stands at around €40bn and has been rising by more than €1·5bn a year. Transport funding body AFITF will take more responsibility for financing major projects, while the government will negotiate performance contracts with all three SNCF bodies in order to restore the financial health of the infrastructure manager.

The bill stresses the need to strengthen the public service element across the rail business, with a stronger role for the state ‘to ensure the efficacy of the right to transport’. The special status of railway employees will remain, with terms and conditions to be based on a national agreement, which will apply to all French railway organisations to avoid ‘social dumping’.

Regulatory authority ARAF will have its powers increased, and will be charged with ensuring non-discriminatory access to the national network for all operators.

The transport ministry says the proposed reforms are compatible with current European legislation and the objectives of the Fourth Railway Package, and would allow the ‘French vision of public service’ to be included in the debate at European level.

source: RG

[Administrator]

Route revealed for Bordeaux – Toulouse/Dax high-speed lines

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Written by Keith Barrow

FRENCH transport minister Mr Frédéric Cuvillier announced on October 23 that the government has finalised the route and implementation schedule for the extensions of TGV Sud-Europ Atlantique (TGV SEA) to Toulouse and the Spanish border.

Public consultation will be launched soon on plans for the first phase of the so-called Grand Southwestern Railway Project (GPSO), encompassing the lines from Bordeaux to Toulouse and Dax, with the aim of securing a Declaration of Public Utility for the project in the first half of next year.

The €5.9bn Bordeaux – Toulouse high-speed line is now expected to open in 2024 and will build on the journey time reductions that will be achieved with the opening of the initial phase of TGV SEA between Tours and Bordeaux in 2017, reducing the Paris – Toulouse trip to 3h 10min. The line will have two intermediate stations which will be located near Agen and Montauban.

The Bordeaux – Dax line is due to be completed by 2027 and is expected to cost €3.2bn. The line will reduce the Paris – Bayonne journey time to 3h 25min.

A second phase will extend the high-speed line beyond Dax to Hendaye on the Spanish border by 2032. The total length of both phases will be around 420km.

The government says that while it is following the recommendations of the Mobility 21 Commission by focussing investment on infrastructure that meets the everyday needs of French people, it has not turned its back on high-speed, particularly where it has the potential to improve links between regions. It adds that such major projects are still considered viable provided a realistic and sustainable approach is taken to financing.



source: Railjournal

[Administrator]

French railway reform bill unveiled

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Written by Keith Barrow

PLANS to restructure France's railways took a step forward on October 16 when transport minister Mr Frédéric Cuvillier presented a reform bill which, if endorsed by parliament, will bring French National Railways (SNCF) and infrastructure manager French Railway Network (RFF) together under an umbrella organisation.

Under the proposals, a new SNCF group will be formed with an infrastructure subsidiary, SNCF Network, and a train operating unit, SNCF Mobility. The parent company will primarily be responsible for strategy and overseeing the financial performance of its subsidiaries.

The group will be led by a board whose members will include the president of SNCF Network and chairman of SNCF Mobility, who will be appointed by the state. The activities of the executive board will be monitored by a supervisory board including representatives of the government, the regions, and SNCF employees.

The bill will seek to stabilise the debts of SNCF and RFF, and limits will be imposed on SNCF Network which will restrict the amount the infrastructure manager is able to borrow to finance infrastructure projects. The aim of this measure is to ensure public bodies requesting investment in the network, such as regional governments, make a fair contribution towards the cost of enhancements.

SNCF and RFF have accumulated debts of around €40bn and this figure is increasing by €1.5-2bn per year. The government expects the restructuring to generate savings of €1bn per year.

Another key objective of the bill is to provide a foundation for the liberalisation of the passenger rail market in 2019. The government says the proposed legislation will strengthen the role of rail regulator Araf, which will "guarantee free and non-discriminatory access to the network."

The bill will be debated in the National Assembly early next year and if adopted is expected to become law in January 2015.

source: Railjournal.com

[Administrator]

SNCF to expand Eurostar terminal in Lille

20 Jan 2014

SNCF’s Gares et Connexions business unit has announced plans to double the capacity of the Eurostar terminal at Lille Europe station in a seven-month project valued at €3m.

Work to expand both the waiting areas and security zone of the ‘Transmanche terminal’ will begin in March for completion by November. SNCF hopes to increase the terminal’s passenger throughput from 275 to 550 passengers/h by increasing the area of the departure lounge from 600 m² to 720 m², and that of the security checkpoint from 362 m² to 560 m².

As the United Kingdom is not a signatory to the EU’s Schengen Agreement, which has removed frontier checks between many member states, passengers boarding Eurostar services must currently undergo passport and security procedures prior to arrival in Britain. The operator’s three main hubs in continental Europe — Paris-Nord, Brussels Midi and Lille Europe — are all staffed by the UK Border Force, but the British government has to date appeared reluctant to expand such arrangements to support Eurostar’s plans to serve more destinations in Europe with direct trains from London.

Last summer, a trial service operated on several weekends between London St Pancras and Aix-en-Provence. Passengers on the return leg were required to disembark from the train at Lille to go through customs formalities, adding around 70 min to the journey time.

‘These improvements are necessary and will contribute to making Lille Europe a veritable European rail hub’, explained Mikaël Lemarchand, Station Director at Eurostar International. ‘More capacity and a better experience are a sine qua non for meeting our future objectives. Eurostar’s ambition is to offer its customers journey opportunities beyond its usual routes.’

source: RG

[Administrator]

Passenger trains to return to Chartres - Voves route

24 Jan 2014

RFF President Jacques Rapoport joined François Bonneau, President of the Centre region, on January 21 to lay the first stone for a new control centre at Voves station, marking the start of work on a €71·7m project to reopen the 25 km Chartres - Voves route to passenger traffic.

The project is due for completion at the end of 2015, when three daily return services are due to be introduced between Chartres and Voves, used only by freight trains since 1942.

A wholescale programme of track renewals is being undertaken to raise the linespeed on the single-track non-electrified route from 50 km/h to 100 km/h, involving the replacement of 30 000 sleepers and laying 36 000 m of rail 'recycled' from LGV Atlantique. Nine of the route's 23 level crossings will be fitted with automatic barriers and the remaining 14 abolished.

The Centre region has provided €4·2m for studies and is funding €66·2m of the cost of the works programme. The national government is contributing €1·3m towards the works, and is meeting in full the estimated €15m cost of building a new rail bridge to replace a level crossing on the Chartres ring road which is currently used by 40 000 road vehicles a day.

source: RG

[Administrator]

Paris regional transport authority approves €787m budget

08 Feb 2014

Paris regional transport authority STIF has approved an investment budget of €787m for 2014, including a new funding agreement for the extension of metro Line 14 to Mairie de Saint-Ouen.

The €450m cost of the project, including four new stations and a depot, is to be met by Société du Grand Paris (59%), the Ile-de-France region (19%), the city of Paris (20%) and the départements of Hauts-de-Seine (1%) and Seine Saint-Denis (1%). Main works are due to start later this year.

STIF has also approved a funding agreement for the second phase of the extension of Line 4 to Bagneux, including 2 km of tunnel and two new stations. Work is due to start in 2014 on the €178m project, funded by Ile-de-France (60%), central government (26%) and Hauts-de-Seine (14%). The first phase, running for 1·4 km from Porte d’Orléans to Mairie de Montrouge, opened in March 2013.

Ile-de-France is to provide 70% of the €0·3m cost of preliminary studies for an extension of Line 10 from Gare d’Austerlitz to Ivry-sur-Seine, with the remainder to be provided by central government. During the coming months, STIF is to undertake public consultation on three route options for an extension of Line 1 from Château de Vincennes to Val-de-Fontenay, including the potential locations of three new stations.

Amongst the light rail projects being taken forward by STIF in 2014, studies are to be conducted for a further westward extension of line T1 from Colombes to Nanterre and Rueil-Malmaison, at a cost of €7m met by Ile-de-France (48%) and Hauts-de-Seine (52%). Work on a 4·3 km extension of line T3 from Porte de la Chapelle to Porte d’Asnières is now expected to start in 2015 for entry into service at the end of 2017.

source: RG