“We are tired of this line of shame.” The president of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes wants concrete progress on Clermont-Paris and has threatened to freeze the region’s funding on the line if he is not listened to.
The president of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes announced his demands this Friday afternoon, for the Clermont-Paris line, for the acceptance of the subject to maintain their funding.
In about ten minutes, on the square in front of the Clermont station, Laurent Vauquiz first introduced a certain fed-up of users: “On the Clermont-Paris line, travelers are treated badly, even when the trains are on time. It’s too much now. Earlier in the week, I asked Minister Christophe Bechu (Ecological Transition Minister, Editor’s Note) Their help so that the SNCF finally changes its tone and respects the people of Evergne. Do we accept ten hour delays elsewhere and passengers rescued by the Red Cross? (Editor’s note, referring to the January 20 incident)?? Auvergnats are not second-class citizens. We are so embarrassed and I do not accept the resignation. »
Laurent Vauquiz on the forecourt of Clermont-Ferrand station this Friday. Photo by Frederic Marquette
The president of the region recalled that the community is investing 40 million euros in this state-run line (i.e. 3% of the 1.3 billion committed to the revitalization of tracks and renewal of trains). “I want quick and long-term progress and I am setting an ultimatum, that we have answers before the end of February, or the region will withdraw its funding. »
“Easy” questions
The requests made by Laurent Vauquiz are “simple”, he believes, and aim to have trains “on time, quite comfortable and at an affordable price”. “Is this too much to ask?? We will not accept substitute solutions by bus, we want trains,” he warns.
In order to obtain improvements in the service, it specifically requests the operational maintenance centers along the line, “so that the intervention solution in the event of a breakdown does not take hours”, the doubling of locomotives on each fleet, so that the possibility of replacement, if necessary, is taken on board, And the line is surrounded by obstacles, so that it does not get stuck on a slightly fallen branch or because of wild boars…
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See you on February 22??
Regarding prices, Laurent Vauquiz advocates aligning the Clermont-Paris grid with Paris-Lyon, where the first price of an intercity journey is 16 euros. “While in Clermont-Paris the average is 64 euros. It is not reasonable. »
He also lamented that the president of the SNCF, Jean-Pierre Ferrandou, “doesn’t have the decency to come and explain himself”, a reference to the invitation he sent him for Friday that was not accepted. Meanwhile, Minister Christophe Bechu and the SNCF boss announced their arrival in Clermont-Ferrand on 22 February. To accept Laurent Vauquiz’s requests, which line connects to a set of users?? have…
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New Trains: “The account is not there”
Meanwhile, Laurent Vauquiz also talked about the future and the arrival of twelve new trainsets, between mid-2025 and the end of 2026, to replace the current rolling stock. An allocation that he considers inadequate: “It’s a minimal trip. I wish we don’t reproduce the same problems as today. I hope we leave with enough scope. With twelve ore, the count is not there. »
Minister and President of SNCF in Clermont-Ferrand to present an action plan on the Paris-Nevers-Clermont line
Patrice Campo
