France: the Paca region allocates the TER Marseille-Nice line to an operator other than the SNCF
A TER train at Saint-Charles station in Marseille in April 2018. AFP - BERTRAND LANGLOIS
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
This is a first in France.
SNCF is on the verge of losing a TER line.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, led by the right, proposes to exclude the incumbent operator for the operation of the regional Marseille-Nice line.
It retained the Transdev group's case.
The principle is confirmed, but this choice must still be validated by the regional elected officials at the end of October.
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Three companies were in competition: SNCF, the Italian Thello and the transport group Transdev.
The Paca region has chosen Transdev to operate the Marseille-Nice link, because it proposes to double traffic from 2025, from seven daily round trips to 14 for an equivalent price.
The 10-year concession contract is estimated at 870 million euros.
As a consolation prize,
the SNCF
will keep the operation of the Azur lines, towards Grasse, Les Arcs, Vintimille and the Roya valley.
The 10-year contract is estimated at 1.5 billion euros.
Consequences for railway workers
The concern is strong on the side of the unions, which indicate that this choice will not be without consequences for the railway workers.
This will lead to the transfer of 166 SNCF agents to Transdev who will only have guarantees on maintaining their status for 15 months.
This is just the beginning.
SNCF could lose other lines.
Four regions: Grand-Est, Hauts-de-France, Pays-de-la-Loire and Ile-de-France have just announced the opening of their TER to competition.
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