In Toulouse, the future LGV line is making some progress, but is still awaiting funding

The future Toulouse-Bordeaux and Bordeaux-Daux LGVs have steering committees, their supervisory boards, but some doubts still remain about the financing of this huge project, known as the “Great Southwest Project”. At the end of a four-hour long meeting in Toulouse on Monday 4 July, the prefect coordinator, Etienne Guyot, gave an update on these new lines which would put Toulouse one hour from Bordeaux and three hours from Paris, as opposed to four more hours now.

“The day to be marked with a white stone” For the Socialist President of the Occitanie region, Carole Delga, appointed for two years as president of the supervisory committee. “Victory After Years of Struggle” Mayor of Toulouse for Les Républicains (LR), Jean-Luc Moudenc. “Show that the opponents of the project are lying to our fellow citizens and that these lines will be the ecological model and the popular success of the future”According to Alain Rousset, president of the New Aquitaine region (Socialist Party).

Estimated at 14.3 billion euros, 40% state, 40% local authorities and 20% planned to be funded by the European Union, construction sites should start in late 2023 for commissioning in late 2032. In total, 327 kilometers of new track will be built, including the installation of an urban RER in Toulouse. “LGV is a necessity to respond to demographic and economic development, with a strengthening of daily trains that TER”, defends Mrs. Delga. Referring to congestion at Toulouse, Agen and Montauban stations, he stressed “A global network, including freight transport, that fully meets current environmental challenges”.

Questions about European funding

Attended by twenty-five local authorities concerned, the purpose of the meeting was to assure funding and in particular the participation of the European Union. On June 29, the commission announced that it had not stopped funding environmental studies for major interest-bearing projects. Karima Daly, an environmentalist who opposes the project, is there, according to the chairman of the transport committee in the European Parliament. “Alternative, based on existing lines” so that “Significantly reduce the project’s environmental footprint”.

Could this call call community funding into question? that “Don’t predict the future”Mr. Guyot replied. “We will apply for other calls for tenders.”, assures Carol Delga. Meanwhile, the great Southwest project comes a long way. If Emmanuel Macron almost completely buried the project in 2017, Jean Castex relaunched it in 2020 and the project is still ongoing.