Toulouse. The extension of line B costs more than expected
The extension of line B of the Toulouse metro, which will link the future third line, has seen its cost increase. Le Journal Toulousain explains why.
The extension of line B of the Toulouse metro, which is called Connexion line B (CLB) by Tisséo, will connect the Ramonville terminus to the Institut national polytechnique de Toulouse station of the future third line. Preparatory work 20 should start by spring 22.
Commissioning is scheduled for the start of the 2027 school year. Tisséo indicates that “the project schedule has been updated to take into account the effects of the health crisis and the delays in negotiating the contract with Siemens” concerning the supply of the equipment necessary for the project.
The pre-project studies for the realization of the Connection B line were approved by the TIsséo union committee on December 15th. Incidentally, it appeared that “the provisional financial envelope for the CLB operation is increased to 227 million euros instead of 182.5 million euros”, according to Tisséo. The project is funded by the State to the tune of 20.5 million euros, the Occitanie Region for 20 million euros and the Departmental Council of Haute-Garonne to the tune of 65 million euros.
Three reasons to explain the increase in the cost of extending line B
This increase of 44.5 million euros can be explained by several factors according to the public transport operator. There is in particular “the reassessment of the cost of the market system which integrates the new functional perimeter, the taking into account of obsolescence of equipment as well as the current economic conditions”, according to Tisséo.
This increase is also justified by taking into account the modifications to the pre-project studies for the infrastructure part, including the extension of the siding. Finally, Tisséo puts forward a third reason which is the updating of the cost of land.