It was "good news", it is now a date to tick on the calendar, and it will be January 31st. Today, a Monday, will mark the start of the public inquiry into the extension of metro line 1. At the end of November, Matignon gave the green light to the holding of this investigation, which had initially been announced for Monday, November 15, then postponed. This putting in brackets had sparked a large demonstration on November 20, in favor of the extension to Val-de-Fontenay. Several hundred people had walked between Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis) and the crossroads of Rigollots, at the limit of Fontenay-sous-Bois and Vincennes (Val-de-Marne).
The defenders of the case wanted to obtain the holding of this public inquiry before the period of truce linked to the presidential and legislative elections.
This will therefore be the case.
It will last four weeks, and will be completed by two public meetings in February, the dates of which are not yet known.
Three new stations planned in the east
The survey is an opportunity to find out everything about this project, already planned in the 1930s, which consists of adding three stations to line 1, which today stops at Château-de-Vincennes (Val-de- Marl).
After 2030, passengers will be able to get off or get on at the Rigollots station in Fontenay-sous-Bois (Val-de-Marne), then at Grands-Pêchers in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis) and finally in Val-de-Fontenay .
They would join the RER A and E there, and by then the Grand Paris Express line 15 East and the T1 tram.
Some 120,000 daily passengers are expected on these future five kilometers of line 1.
The route of the extension of line 1.
The announcement of a government green light ended a period of uncertainty over the future of this extension.
The doubts began with a negative opinion from the Environmental Authority, followed by another reserved opinion from the General Secretariat for Investment, which considered the extension too costly in relation to the benefits for users and the environment.
"It's a decisive step"
At Île-de-France Mobilités, we say we are "satisfied to finally be able to present this project in its entirety".
"The public inquiry will be an opportunity to recall the challenges of extending line 1 but also to have a constructive dialogue with the public and all the stakeholders, which should make it possible to answer the questions of some".
"It is a step, and it is decisive", reacts for his part Yoann Rispal, municipal councilor (DVG) of Fontenay-sous-Bois, delegate for public transport.
The elected representative welcomes the holding of this investigation "so that the inhabitants see the seriousness of the file which has been carried out".
There is still a long way to go, since he also reminds us that we must still count on “at least four years of studies” for this project.
“We have faith in popular support and real mobilization,” explains Yoann Rispal.
The stronger it is, the more chance we have of seeing the project succeed ”.
