LGV Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure

The LGV Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure , or LGV PACA , is a Projet of railway line at high speed intended to prolong LGV the Mediterranean in direction of the Riviera. Its startup is envisaged at the horizon 2020. This project was the subject of a Public debate between on February 21st and on July 8th 2005, as it is the case for any important project of Town and country planning. The decision of the layout will be returned in June 2008 (see the site of the official project).

Three layouts are in competition:

the layout known as LGV Riviera : most direct, along A8, speed on the relation Paris - Nice privileges, and offers more the strong potential of customers (first line in interior air traffic) realizable in 3:35 min.
the layout known as LGV of the metropolises of the sud' : longest, passes by Marseilles and Toulon and offers best run times between Marseilles and Nice (1. 10).
the layout known as LGV of the solutions alternatives' : consist of an improvement of the existing connections, along A8, with creation of new sections so necessary.

Moreover into account the relations must be taken on the frontage the Mediterranean does not enter Barcelona, Montpellier, Marseilles, Nice and Genoa and on the southern transversal for Toulouse and Bordeaux. This new line would put Marseilles at 3:15 of Genoa and Barcelona to 3:35 (grace in particular to the creation of LGV Perpignan-Figueras).

The public debate revealed many local oppositions to the project, share in particular of environmental associations, as well as divergences of interest between the Alps Maritimes and the west of the area. However, the town councilors support the project and the presidents of the general advices of the three department concerned (Rhone delta, Var and the Alpes-Maritimes) intended themselves to propose an alternative layout reconciling their respective positions.

At present, the layout of reference retained is the layout known as of the " metropolises of the sud" : this one indeed has the advantage of guaranteeing a good service road between the urban surfaces of Nice, Cannes, Fréjus, Toulon and Marseilles (a line currently very attended and carried out by Corail/FOR THE THIRD TIME). The service road of Toulon by the station Center Town or a station located at North (Cuers) or the East (the Pauline) is still prone to debate, of aucuns preaching the station of the Center like a need to prevent leaving on the low side the center of if big city.

With this project, the construction of new stations , with correspondences FOR THE THIRD TIME (strong wish of the inhabitants), is evoked:

has Marseilles, is evoked the possibility of a station with Blancarde (avoiding graining with St Charles). If the line proved to avoid Marseilles, the service road of the station of Aix-en-Provence TGV, to see of another station (Aix-South) are evoked.
has Toulon, the service road can be done either by Toulon Center, or by Toulon East (the Pauline), or by Northern Toulon (Cuers). The station of Cuers is décriée because far away from the downtown area; the risk is thus the strong urbanization of this sector to the detriment of the center. A station in the Center is interesting for Toulon but penalizes the course Paris-Nice, stake capital as well as the regional service road. A station with the Pauline seems a good compromise, in particular allowing the service road of the Center by FOR THE THIRD TIME given rhythm in 10 minutes, as well as Cuers and Hyères at 10 minutes also.
In the East of the VAr, two possibilities: a station with the site of the current station of the Arcs: this station would for the third time allow a correspondence towards Draguignan (to be set up); or a station in Muy, a little more in the east: this station would be closer to the surface urban of Fréjus/Saint Raphaël, and more accessible by the road (in particular for the service road of the A8 and the gulf of Saint Tropez).
In the West of the the Alpes-Maritimes, a station on the Cannes-Fatty existing line with height of Mouans-Sartoux: this station would fit in a triangle Cannes - Sophia Antipolis - Grasse, surface densément populated and with many trades. A correspondence FOR THE THIRD TIME is considered there too.
has Nice finally, the service road of a multimode pole with Saint Augustin, being next to the Airport and the Arenas (first district of businesses of Nice), with connection to lines 2 and 3 of the Tramway of Nice, is a certainty. The Plain of the VAr thus would be very well served. It is also expected that the TGV continue until the Gare of Nice-City, terminal, in order to preserve the service road of the center town, pole as important as St Augustin employment residences.

Diagram of the scenarios of studied layouts

The documents of the public debate can be consulted on Internet site of the particular commission of public debate LGV PACA.

The Minister for transport will return his decision on the choice of the layout about the summer 2008

External bond

LGV PACA, official site

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