France, 2012-2017
The project is a 25-year PPP deal comprising financing, design, construction and maintenance of 80 km of new track, 60 km of which is high-speed line between Manduel and Lattes to extend the Midi-Méditerranée HS line between Avignon and Nîmes.
The mixed-traffic (high-speed passenger trains and freight trains) bypass is intended to improve:
- the quality of passenger service by developing regional train traffic on conventional lines and by making the region’s conurbations more readily accessible through a high-speed rail service.
- the performance of goods traffic between Spain, France, and Italy.
Measures promoting sustainable development:
Track alignment ‘transparent’ to surface water flow, noise protection, protection of biodiversity and indigenous flora and fauna, involvement of small businesses and tradesmen.
In partnership with infrastructure manager RFF, several biodiversity havens and ecological corridors along the track alignment were given special attention for the purposes of protection. It was also proposed to set up an observatory for the environment and conservation of protected national-heritage species.
Customer / Concession authority : RFF