The Prime Minister announced in his “Invest in France” plan that one of the aspects concerning new transport infrastructure prioritizes addressing the Nice rail junction, placing it on the same level as that of Marseille. Christian Estrosi and Bernard Kleynhoff welcome the government’s announcement but remain cautious.
According to Bernard Kleynhoff, President of the CCI Nice Côte d’Azur, “This first phase of the New Provence Côte d’Azur line project will provide a breath of fresh air for mobility in our region, essential for the normal functioning of our businesses, and will initiate the rail accessibility of the area.”
This project will represent an investment of 4.2 billion euros and aims to modernize the stations of Nice and Cannes as well as the commissioning of a third track for the benefit of the territory, which will help to relieve a very crucial route and initiate the first section of the HSR line or New Provence Line (NLF) as it should be named.
However, while this decision can be welcomed with satisfaction, it remains true that we are still far from solving the problem, namely traveling to Marseille in about 1h30.
Furthermore, when talking about a plan extending beyond 2030, it implies that we are far from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (figuratively speaking). By then, many situations and parameters will have changed (politically and even technologically).
While the president of the CCI is right to applaud this “intelligent approach that allows for progress” and achieving “a less costly and segmentable solution,” he states his intention to remain vigilant, as does Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice and president of the Metropolitan Area:
“We will continue to be extremely vigilant and attentive to ensure that this decision is followed by effective implementation in the short term. The goal is indeed to continue investments beyond this first phase, to see Nice connected to Marseille by train in 1h10,” they declared in unison.
In this case, in addition to being vigilant, one should be cautious in declarations, even though it’s known that in the long term one can say and predict anything.
Very few of us will be there to verify it!
