The state wants to put 8.6 billion in regional transport by 2027

The State wants to devote in the next five years 8.6 billion euros to regional transport, a sum up "50%" compared to previous planning contracts with regional executives, announced Tuesday the Minister Delegate for Transport, Clément Beaune. "We are starting the discussion with the regions for the concrete implementation of the plan of 100 billion euros (for the railway) by 2040" promised by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, said Clément Beaune to headlines in the regional daily press, including the newspapers of the EBRA group, Ouest France and La Voix du Nord.

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We increase by 50% the annual appropriations devoted by the State to transport compared to previous contracts" which covered the period 2015-2022, he insisted. Clément Beaune must formally obtain the green light from the Council of Ministers, Wednesday, to launch on these bases negotiations with local authorities - mainly regions, but also agglomerations for future metropolitan RER - in order to conclude the State-region plan contracts (CPER) for the period 2023-2027. "In previous contracts, the state put less than 50% and the regions a little more. We expect more or less the same distribution, "said the minister. According to Clément Beaune, "priority is given to rail and public transport whose envelope increases by 90% per year", a "quasi-doubling of the effort".

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For the future metropolitan RER, the envelope provided by the State is 800 million euros. He cites Strasbourg, already launched but to improve because of dysfunctions, the Lille project which is "very advanced", and only in the West, Nantes, Rennes and Rouen. For freight, it provides for 900 million. Major projects, such as the modernization of the rail network or new high-speed lines, are not included in the CPER, and "benefit from ad hoc financing," noted Clément Beaune. "We are also increasing credits for rivers, ports and bicycle routes. The share of road transport will decline since 70% of the appropriations will be devoted to rail and public transport. It will therefore be necessary to be more selective on road projects, "added the minister, according to which "the objective is to sign all contracts by the autumn".