FRENCH rail regulator Araf and Britain's Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) are set to take over responsibility for monitoring conditions of access and infrastructure charges for the Channel Tunnel from the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), under an agreement which will be signed later this month.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) is to test the Erex IT energy management and billing system on 50 of its freight locomotives developed by the Eress consortium of five European infrastructure managers and one railway.

FRENCH president Mr François Hollande, French secretary of state for transport Mr Alain Vidalies and Italian infrastructure and transport minister Mr Maurizio Lupi signed an agreement to go ahead with a new €26bn railway linking Lyon and Turin during an international summit in Paris on February 24.

AVIGNON's troubled light rail project took another twist on February 24 when, after three-and-a-half hours of debate, Greater Avignon Council voted in favour of a plan to implement the project with a reduced specification.

SALES at Eurostar increased by 1% in 2014 to £867m following a 3% increase in passengers to 10.4 million on its services from Britain to continental Europe.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) reported revenues of €27.24bn in 2014, despite the continued difficult economic environment in France, which included a 7-10% increase on domestic passenger travel VAT rates and a 5% rise in track access fees.

THE board of Ile-de-France transport authority Stif has approved a €1.5bn investment in new rolling stock for the Paris region, including 72 metro trains and 29 suburban EMUs, which will be 100%-funded by the authority.

PLANS for a new light rail link between Paris and the city's southeastern suburbs have taken an important step forward with the granting of public utility status for Line T9 on February 2.

PARIS Transport Authority (RATP), Ile-de-France Transport Authority (Stif) and Grand Paris (SGP) have jointly placed a 15-year framework contract with Alstom worth in excess of €2bn for a fleet of 217 MP 14 rubber-tyred metro trains.

SNCF has given approval to TTG Transportation Technology, Australia, to provide more than 1500 TGV drivers with hand-held Energymiser Driver Advisory System devices.