For 6 years, the trains no longer pass between Thiers and Boën-sur-Lignon. Traffic is suspended which increases the travel time between Clermont-Ferrand and Saint-Etienne. Several rallies and marches took place this weekend to demand the return of the trains, there were for example 140 demonstrators at Noirétable station this Sunday.
“This connection seems essential to us between Clermont-Ferrand and Saint-Etienne, for the co-president of the Le train 63-42-49 association, Pierre-Olivier Messner, two major cities in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region which have been disconnected since 2016.”
It is unthinkable and quite appalling today to see that we are in a scenario almost unique in France, at a time when there is an upheaval in the mobility landscape, an environmental awareness and above all strong expectations on the modal shift in favor of rail in these completely landlocked territories.
Soaring fuel prices have also revived mobilization, a few days before the first round of the presidential election. “We expect most candidates to integrate these rural areas which are really essential to economic activity and to everyone’s well-being. And that goes through a territorial network which is very important, we know that in the history of France, the territorial network has always been made thanks to the railway.”
The train 63-42-49 co-chair is also waiting to see the proposals new railway players, since the opening to competition. “We think that this line could really interest several private operators, but that is the region that will decide.” According to Pierre-Olivier, the RailCoop company is following the file a possible reopening of the line between Clermont-Ferrand and Saint-Etienne.