LGV Toulouse – Bordeaux: Prime Minister Jean Castex announces “the start of construction for 2024”
On a visit to the neighboring department of Gers, Prime Minister Jean Castex mentioned the Toulouse – Bordeaux LGV file, indicating that “the construction site will begin in 2024”. An anticipation of five years compared to the initial program. The opportunity for Jean Castex to “reach out” again to the Lot-et-Garonne departmental council.
Coming to his native department to inaugurate the end of the work on the Gimont bypass on the RN 124, this Monday, February 14, Prime Minister Jean Castex did not hide the file of the future LGV Toulouse – Bordeaux. All the more so for this ambitious and necessary project to open up a department like the Gers.
And the Agen station – yet 80 km from Gimont – was one of the red threads of the Prime Minister’s declaration through the file of the future LGV Toulouse – Bordeaux. “We took over this file. We relaunched it explains”, Jean Castex in front of the Gers elected officials. Moreover, he made it a priority to put him on track before his departure from Matignon. Suffice to say that the deadline is short for this project of 14.3 billion euros including “10.3 for the Bordeaux – Toulouse part”.
An eight-year project
But it takes more to shower the determination of the tenant of Matignon. This Monday afternoon, on the Gimont side, Jean Castex thus indicated that the future LGV construction site would begin in 2024. The kickoff of a pharaonic eight-year construction site. “What we have done is concrete,” he insists, “this will allow us to start construction in 2024, while the initials of the mobility orientation law provided for the start of work for 2029. “. A somewhat jostled calendar thanks to the “decisions taken last year and the joint work” of the various actors.
A “found momentum” according to the Prime Minister, also, thanks to “funding up to 40% from the State”.
During this declaration on the Gers lands, the head of government returned to “the so-called concerns of the Agen station”. An important station in more ways than one for many Gersois who come to the city prefecture of Lot-et-Garonne to jump on a train. What Jean Castex was doing. “A bit of common sense all the same”, he says, “what was my surprise that the departmental council of Lot-et-Garonne – while it is served by this work – indicated its refusal to funder”.
“Removing Agen station means starting from scratch”
Undeniably, the Prime Minister wanted to calm things down after his bloodshed, in these same columns: “the LGV will not stop at Agen”. The speech is more polite today. “Agen station is in the declaration of public utility. To remove it is to start from scratch, ”said the Prime Minister. With “this firmness”, he had to come “to his senses”. In any case, he was pleased that the regional council “has assumed its responsibilities” by pre-financing €225 million.
But Jean Castex does not seem to want to stop there and “reach out” to the Lot-et-Garonne departmental council “to open a constructive discussion in search of a solution”.
Will this call from the Gers be heard as far as Saint-Jacques? Difficult to imagine especially after the last debate of budgetary orientations where the departmental majority remained on its positions advancing its arguments that “the future station of Sainte-Colombe is preparing” in the face of an insistent opposition to “reopen the discussions”.
It takes more to discourage the Prime Minister who also announced the creation of the company that will finance the line. “It will go through an ordinance,” he said, giving an appointment to a Council of Ministers in early March. An implementing decree will then make it possible to make the system operational. Essential step for work to start in 2024. A tight schedule before leaving Matignon.