FRANCE’s minister of economy and finance Mr Bruno Le Maire confirmed on March 22 that French National Railways (SNCF) will place an order for 100 next-generation TGVs with Alstom within the next three months.

THELLO, the French subsidiary of Trenitalia, has announced plans to launch high-speed services in France in direct competition with French National Railways (SNCF).

The publication of a report by the French Infrastructure Policy Board on options for funding future infrastructure projects sheds new light on the true cost of meeting current commitments. Keith Barrow looks at the possible priorities for investment over the next 20 years, and how they might be funded.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) says it achieved a marked improvement in its commercial and business performance in 2017, but revenues remain “insufficient” due to the huge debts of SNCF Network, which rose a further €1.7bn to €46.6bn.

THE French prime minister, Mr Edouard Philippe, conducted the first meetings on February 19 to discuss the reform of French National Railways (SNCF) following the submission to him on February 15 of a report on the future of rail transport by a commission led by former Air France-KLM chairman Mr Jean-Cyril Spinetta.

THE first Alstom Citadis X05 low-floor LRV for the second light rail line in Nice was unveiled to the media by the city’s mayor Mr Christian Estrosi at Charles Ginésy Maintenance Centre on February 9.

TELT, the Franco-Italian consortium responsible for implementing the €8.6bn 65km Lyon - Turin rail link from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Susa/Bussoleno, has awarded a contract to the S2IP consortium comprising Systra, Setec, Italferr and Pini Swiss Engineers, for civil engineering project management.

AFTER a comprehensive review of France’s pipeline of proposed major projects, the Infrastructure Policy Board published its recommendations on February 1 for the development of the country’s transport network over the next 20 years.

THE city of Bordeaux has exercised an option with Alstom for 10 additional Citadis low-floor LRVs, which will take its fleet of these vehicles to 125 by the end of the decade.