the Metropolis must position itself in the file of the Toulouse RER
The RER project in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) is at a standstill while 5 municipalities in the agglomeration voted unanimously in favor. The subject is debated Thursday, October 20 in the Toulouse metropolis. The union of the left is at the origin of the consultation.
The Toulouse RER, it’s an idea that has been circulating for 4 years now. The problem, only the idea circulates, the wagons are at a standstill. The mayor of Union (Haute-Garonne) had launched the project in 2018 with the 5 branches of the star studied. A year later, the association Rallumons l’Etoile proposed a somewhat modified version. Since then, practically nothing.
Or 5 municipalities of the agglomeration voted unanimously to implement the project carried by the association. This Thursday, it’s the turn of Toulouse Métropole to decide on this wish, proposed by the union of elected leftists.
What is the project ? The principle of the RER has nothing to do with the Parisian RER which allows you to cross the capital thanks to underground lines, without changing and with a limited number of stations. The Toulouse RER passes through the development of the SNCF lines is partially manifested, in order to desaturate the central station of Matabiau (as indicated on the map).
Stakes : allow users to cross Toulouse without changing trains whether they live in town or in the agglomeration. Means : creation of stations and increase in the frequency of trains, up to a quarter of an hour during peak hours. Time range : from 6 a.m. to midnight with improved connections (TER, bus, metro) at the stations. Rate : unique for RER, bus, metro, Téléo.
The association proposes the creation of an RER A line (in red) without works by optimizing the existing one from Castelnau-d’Estrétefonds to Baziège with a minimum hourly rate, while taking advantage of the existing terminals in Castelnaudary and in Matabiau. Objective: to improve the public transport service in the North and South-East of the agglomeration.
This first line would deal with the interest of the crossing lines on the other branches of the star. Rallumons L’Étoile is campaigning, for example, for an optimization of line C (already existing and in orange on the map) between Arènes and Colomiers with more trains in the evening and at off-peak hours. The line could be extended to Brax in a second phase.
The first promoter of the project, the Union is one of the five municipalities (with Cugnaux, Vacquiers, Balma and Pibrac), who voted unanimously for the creation of this “Toulouse-style RER”. For its mayor, Marc Péré, “there is a growing asphyxiation of the entire Toulouse conurbation in its main axes, starting with its ring road, not to mention the Muret-Toulouse or Pibrac-Toulouse axes. It is completely saturated”.
“With 10,000 more inhabitants each year and about 5,000 cars, we are going straight to total asphyxiation. It plays against attractiveness and creates dangers. The 3rd metro line project does not solve the problems encountered by people who have to travel in the first, second and third ring”.
“We cannot reject such a project as Jean-Luc Moudenc did this summer, sue the chosen one. The RER concerns all the inhabitants of the Toulouse crown but also the 50,000 Toulouse residents who work in the suburbs and travel there every day. Development of the metro and RER are complementary projects”.
According a study on the subject mentioned by INSEE in 2020, Toulouse and the municipalities of its agglon welcome every day 129,000 people who come to work, even though they do not live in the area. A figure that continues to grow according to the institute. Less than 10% of them use public transport to go from home to their place of work.
For Marc Péré, the ZFE (Low Emission Zone) also excludes people who cannot afford to buy a less polluting car. It is therefore urgent, he explains, to draw inspiration from cities like Bordeaux or Strasbourg: Region and metropolis have joined forces in these agglomerations to develop rhythmic transport lines using the rail network to quickly cross the two cities.
“We have to take this path in order to fight against pollution and global warming, especially since these developments take about ten years. But we are tired, after 4 years of seeing that there is no has no political will. Everyone relates to the ball: the Region, Tisséo, the metropolis”.
Jean-Michel Lattes, vice-president of Toulouse Métropole and president of Tisséo, announced on Wednesday October 19 in the Tisséo union committee that he had written to the Region to request the setting up of a round table with the various actors on this file. Solicited by us, he did not follow up and prefers to speak after the vote on the wish concerning the Toulouse RER, which takes place Thursday, October 20 within the metropolitan council.