Faced with the degraded state of Paris-Orleans-Limoges-Toulouse and Paris-Clermont strains, customers and elected officers present their anger within the capital | EUROtoday

Hundreds of elected officers and customers of the Paris-Orleans-Limoges-Toulouse (POLT) and Paris-Clermont-Ferrand strains gathered on Tuesday April 15 in the course of the day, after they arrived at Austerlitz station in Paris to say their “Exasperation” Faced with the degraded state of those strains. Denouncing “Forty years of inaction” On these two forgotten strains, a lot of them had taken one of many two “trains of anger” earlier within the morning, from Cahors and Clermont-Ferrand, to win the capital, the place a delegation have to be acquired Tuesday afternoon on the Ministry of Transport.

“We, users, parliamentarians, local elected officials, living forces of Occitaine, Auvergne, Limousin, and Center-Val de Loire express our anger and our fed up against the rustines that we are granted for the absence of a real emergency plan up to the issues”stated earlier than the press the president of the Emergency Polt affiliation, Jean-Claude Sandrier.

The POLT strains (greater than 700 kilometers of railroad tracks) and Clermont-Paris (420 kilometers) carry 2.6 million and 1.9 million vacationers respectively in intercity trains. The SNCF launched, in 2018, a program to modernize these strains, which nevertheless stay “Still equipped with heterogeneous and aging technical installations”acknowledges the railway firm.

“Ouks out of age”

The day had began at daybreak within the lot, when the primary demonstrators had taken the practice to Cahors. “All united for a dynamic rail service that respects users and our territories”could possibly be learn on a banner deployed on the station, famous the Agency France-Presse (AFP).

“I came to defend the Paris-Toulouse historical line”stated Francesco Testa, Cahors metropolis councilor, earlier than including: “As we’re coping with listening to impaired, we transfer to be nearer to their ears. »» Before getting on board, Monique Codet, 84, who made the journey “Montauban-Cahors for fourteen years”confides that she would love the brand new generations to have the identical situations of transport she has identified: “There was no delay. I keep in mind a single breakdown. »»

On the passage of the practice to Limoges, the place 100 sad demonstrators have chanted “Ras-le-Polt” In the station corridor, the mayor of the town (LR), Emile Roger Lombertie, estimated “Easier today for a student to go to study in Brussels, Berlin, Copenhagen or elsewhere, than go between Limoges and Clermont-Ferrand”.

In Clermont-Ferrand, round 130 folks took the practice, famous an AFP journalist. “Things have worsened for forty years with oars out of age and a journey time that has increased by forty minutes”defined Patrick Wolff, the president of the target Capital Objectif – who claims an goal of “Less than three hours” To attain Paris towards three hours and fifteen minutes at present.

Promise of funding

Jean-Philippe Ollier, supervisor of the Rehabilitation Project for the Cataroux Park in Michelin, in Clermont-Ferrand, got here “Defend the ability to be able to go to Paris reliably”, An subject for employees from many corporations.

“By modernizing these two strategic axes”the SNCF gives “Unprecedented investments”want to return “Faster, more reliable and more accessible journeys”. According to the Ministry of Transport, “Significant investments made since 2018” On the 2 strains embody 1.9 billion euros by 2027 for the POLT line and practically a billion for Paris-Clermont. “These are the two largest projects led this year by SNCF Réseau”he stated in a press release on Tuesday.

“A partial regeneration which for us is not sufficient”denounces Jean-Noël Boisseleau, vice-president of the Association Emergency Line Polt. For him, it might be crucial “2.5 to 3 billion euros additional so that, really, we are practically new”.