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The controversial project to build a high speed rail link between Poitiers and Limoges reached a key milestone on Tuesday (31 August), with a map of the proposed new route being presented to financiers.

A large part of the route runs parallel with the RN147, and the proposals would see around 45 buildings destroyed, with around 30 of these currently classed as residential.  Whilst there are still fine details to be ironed out, such as how and where the route will connect with the LGV SEA (Sud-Europe-Atlantique) line to the south of Poitiers, the route as presented was approved at a meeting between Réseau Ferré de France, local officials and financiers in Limoges on Tuesday night.

The 115km stretch of high speed track will link the two regional capitals in around 30 minutes, and is planned to come into service from 2017.  But with an estimated cost of 1.5 billion euros, opponents doubt that the new line will ever find the funding to be built.  Many local officials have voiced concerns over the project, and many don’t believe it will be financially viable.

Ségolène Royal  waded into the argument last autumn, by writing an open letter requesting further dialogue and refusing to get involved in the project committee, and she was again absent from Tuesday’s meeting.  Many local officials believe that other potential transport projects would be more beneficial, such as upgrading the RN147 to dual carriageway and improving TER rail services.  Opponents believe an express service on the existing TER line could cut the journey time by up to 20 minutes.

Tuesday’s meeting gave the go ahead for further studies to be undertaken, particularly around financial viability, and a ministerial committee in December will pass judgement on the economic relevance of the project.   A detailed document will be circulated around local town halls from June 2011 outlining the impact of the project, at which time the public will be able to comment and make complaints. 

You can see the agreed route by clicking here.

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