Europe 1 with AFP 5:06 p.m., September 8, 2021

The private operator Transdev should endorse the operation of the TER Marseile-Nice line from 2024. A first in the history of SNCF, which faces the opening up to competition for the rail network.

The regional advisers of the South region will vote on October 29th.

DECRYPTION

For the first time in the history of the SNCF, the railway company is on the verge of losing the operation of a TER line in France: the Marseille-Nice line should indeed be privatized.

The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, led by the right, has proposed to its elected officials to choose Transdev to endorse the operation of the link connecting the two cities in the south-east.

If the regional elected officials confirm this choice on October 29, it would be the first railway line escaping the SNCF in the context of the competition. 

A ten-year contract worth 870 million euros

"SNCF Voyageurs wishes Transdev the best of success, in the interests of travelers and the development of rail transport in the region," SNCF reacted in a press release, thus recording the loss of the market. "This choice marks (...) the realization of the opening up to competition for which we have been preparing for a long time, where our organizing authorities have the freedom to choose other operators than us", affirms Christophe Fanichet, CEO of SNCF Voyageurs, cited in the press release.

Three companies were in the running to win this link via Toulon, which concerns 10% of regional traffic in terms of the number of trains offered: the historic public operator SNCF, the private French transport group Transdev and Thello, a subsidiary of the public company of the paths of Italian iron Trenitalia.

The 10-year concession contract is estimated at 870 million euros.

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Almost unchanged prices

What does this change for TER users connecting Marseille to Nice? With Transdev's offer, "from 2025, traffic will be doubled", going from seven daily round trips to fourteen. However, the price will remain "equivalent". But the change is not for now: operation should begin in December 2024 for this second batch and in July 2025 for Marseille-Toulon-Nice, time to buy trains and build workshops.

The Region proposed that the SNCF keep the operation of the "Azur" lines including the links between Les Arcs / Draguignan and Vintimille, in Italy, as well as Nice-Tende and finally Cannes-Grasse, where the public company was alone in the running. . This second lot represents 23% of regional traffic and the contract, also for 10 years, is estimated at 1.5 billion euros. From 69 daily round trips, the supply will jump to 120. 

Opening up to competition "will significantly improve the offer for users", welcomed the Southern Region, led by Republican Renaud Muselier.

An opening to competition that he had coveted for a long time: "We are going to have 'canonissimes' prices" offered by public or private operators, French or foreign, who will respond to these calls for tenders ", he was already enthusiastic. in December 2019. "We will have the trains on time, we will have discounts, with a quality of service!", he promised then.

Unions denounce social dumping

This news makes unions cringe.

SUD-Rail Paca denounced Wednesday a "social dumping" and a "fragmentation" of the network.

"This model is essentially based on social dumping, that is to say on the degradation of the working and living conditions of railway workers, even though they are an essential element of railway safety", writes the union in a statement.

"This liberal offensive will also have consequences for users", further denounces SUD-Rail Paca.

They demand that "all the rights and regulations of railway workers be guaranteed and that the regions systematically include social clauses in their calls for tenders".