On July 2, 2017, Bordeaux inaugurated with great fanfare its new high-speed line (LGV). The objective, to place the Gironde capital at 2 h 04 from Paris against 3 h 14 previously. A long-awaited project by its then mayor, Alain Juppé, imagined in 1992, for a total cost of 7.8 billion euros. A springboard that allowed Bordeaux to highlight its famous quality of life and ensure the hoped-for competitiveness.
This LGV project is not the only one, however. In September, the Council of State validated a new high-speed line carried by the Grand Projet du Sud-Ouest (GPSO) between Bordeaux and Toulouse this time, to Dax (Landes). If Emmanuel Macron had announced in 2017 that he no longer wished to finance these main lines but to promote “Daily trips”, that of this new line was relaunched by Jean Castex when he was appointed to Matignon.
The amount of the new site would amount to 14 billion euros, including 4 billion financed by the State, 40% by local authorities – New Aquitaine and Occitanie – and 20% by European funds. This line would place Toulouse at about 3:10 from Paris, against 4:10 currently.
If Carole Delga and Alain Rousset, respectively presidents of the Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions support the project, other elected officials oppose it. In particular those of Lot-et-Garonne who refused en bloc to participate in its financing. Bordeaux Métropole is due to debate the subject during its next council on November 26. The environmentalist mayor of Bordeaux, Pierre Hurmic, also vice-president of the metropolis, initiated the offensive against the construction of this new railway line. In early November, he launched a website, called “LGV alternative”, listing a number of proposals to counter that of the high-speed line. The site already has 2,700 signatories, including the mayor (Europe Ecologie-Les Verts, EELV) of Poitiers Léonore Moncond’Huy, the president of the association for the defense of the environment Sepanso Aquitaine Daniel Delestre, but also economists, farmers , winegrowers, market gardeners …
“Selfish vision” of regional planning
In Bordeaux, the subject quickly imposed itself in the local political debate. By creating this site, Pierre Hurmic wishes “Federate all the oppositions to this useless project”. A position that immediately aroused reactions. Starting with the President of the Deputies La République en Marche (LRM) in the National Assembly, Christophe Castaner, who indicated on France Bleu Gironde, October 29, to be “Shocked” by the reaction of Pierre Hurmic. “Basically, he behaves like a child who already has his toy: the TGV which comes to Bordeaux, and who judges that for Toulouse and for access to Spain, it is not interesting”, said Castaner.
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