No attractiveness of a region without mobility and no mobility without the necessary networks… This simple consideration is poorly applied on the Côte d’Azur where everyone can observe the enormous delays in terms of infrastructure.
Decadent railway line, highway functioning as a ring road, it is only the air connections that are keeping pace for a region that aims to be an international signature from a tourism perspective and that has ambitions as a host for future innovative companies.
When we are forced to hear about “high-speed” railway line projects on the horizon of 2030/2035, it feels like dreaming. In fact, at this pace, how many development trains will have passed in the meantime? And yes, because the world is moving fast, faster and faster, and latecomers will only get the crumbs…
As a consular chamber representing the economic world, the CCI has long been emphasizing this argument as one of its priorities.
The plea is clear and flawless:
“Despite the efforts made in recent years and the projects completed or underway, the Alpes-Maritimes still face a difficult situation in terms of transport and travel: traffic jams, often saturated road and highway networks, limited accessibility, and very insufficient service at the rail level. These issues not only have a direct impact on the environment and quality of life but also on the competitiveness of businesses.
For several years, stakeholders in the Alpes-Maritimes have become aware of the issues of accessibility and travel and are implementing projects leading to positive progress with the Tramway in Nice, the High-Level Service Bus in Cannes, or Sophia-Antipolis. However, significant dysfunctions remain that call for a collective and coordinated response.”
To move beyond mere lamentations and contribute ideas and proposals, a document has been elaborated and proposed to the competent authorities, suggesting 8 fields of action:
1° Strengthen international air service with more flexible intercontinental rights regulations and the opening of new direct connections with Asia and the Gulf countries. With the petition launched by the CCI Nice Côte d’Azur for better air service, 4,000 signatories from the Azorean economic world rallied in support of this proposal. The recent prospect of new routes being created between Nice and Qatar underscores the relevance of this desire for international openness.
2° Develop rail service through the deployment of the Ligne Nouvelle Provence Côte d’Azur while maintaining the objective of putting it into service by 2025 and creating two new stations at Nice Airport and Sophia Antipolis.
3° Interconnect public transport networks with each other in connection with stations and rail service (including the creation of park-and-ride facilities).
4° Rebalance public transport supply and its funding by stabilizing the current level of the Transport Levy paid by businesses and consolidating public transport networks in the west of the department for a harmonized network suited to home-to-work travel.
5° Improve service to business areas by different modes of transport considering companies’ demands, notably including the development of express connections directly serving business areas.
6° Optimize existing infrastructures and traffic management. This includes dynamically regulating highway speed, creating lanes dedicated to public transport, or developing sea highways in the Mediterranean to relieve the A8 of part of the international heavy goods traffic using the A8 highway.
7° Consider urbanization and transport globally by anticipating any urban development or shopping center project with suitable public transport and road services.
8° Improve last-mile delivery by developing projects optimizing delivery organization to meet professionals’ needs while improving city life quality.
The vision for the future is here, now it is necessary to move from files to action.
A first step is the creation of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Travel launched by the Prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes, which will take place on May 29th. The objective of this body is to coordinate all urban planning and infrastructure projects, taking into account travel and mobility requirements.
A first step in the right direction, but it remains to pick up speed…
