Le Figaro Lyon
If they did not circulate on the Saône we could speak of a sea serpent. After years of discussion, the river shuttle project between Vaise and Confluence is taking shape in Lyon. A real link integrated into the transport network must replace, from next summer, the Vaporetto operated by Yachts de Lyon since 2012. A call for tenders was won by RATP associated with Yachts de Lyon, precisely, with the charge to supply, operate and maintain boats
“The objective is to offer residents a new attractive and environmentally friendly mobility solution, fully integrated into the TCL network combining quality of service and the pleasure of sailing
,” announced Bruno Bernard (EELV), president of the Metropolis of Lyon and Sytral (the transport regulatory authority in Lyon). And the latter mentions attendance forecasts, estimated at 560,000 trips per year.
A drop of water on the scale of 500 million of the entire network. But a drop that could make small ones, as the exploitation of the two Lyon waterways comes up repeatedly in recent political proposals. For the moment, studies have ruled out the possibility of a shuttle on the Rhône.
Four boats, four stops
Ultimately, the line should connect Vaise to Quai Saint-Antoine in 15 to 20 minutes, via a stop on Quai Saint-Vincent, then continue to Confluence. With a schedule of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., a capacity of 70 to 90 people per boat and the possibility of transporting bicycles. All for the price of a metro ticket. And an investment of 12 million euros.
There remains the question of seasonality, while winter floods of the Saône are frequent and the current Vaporetto only runs from April to October. When contacted, Sytral did not respond to our requests. As for the current pitfall of too low a frequency, the fleet of four electric machines should help correct the problem.