At the end of last week, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, speaking at the presentation of a report by the Council for Infrastructure Orientation (COI), mentioned the government's ambition to allocate €100 billion to rail investment by 2040.
Borne said the French government would discuss the plans with local authorities and that regional authorities should receive their negotiating terms in March. The country will also set up an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the plan in the coming weeks. The French government aims to have a detailed transport infrastructure investment plan in place by June, following consultation with the regions and partners concerned.
The scenario foresees a significant increase in state funding between 2023 and 2042. The proposed law would amount to €84.3 billion for the period 2023-2027. The investment will also be co-financed by the SNCF, the European Union, and local authorities. The plan includes plans for better maintenance of the existing rail network, as well as the opening of new lines, including the development of suburban rail networks in cities, along the lines of the Paris RER system. According to Borne, lack of access to transport can mean that people have to turn down job offers, miss out on education or miss out on seeing their loved ones. Among Borne's priorities are restoring the night train network and developing rail freight transport.
