Transport hike set to hit Alpes-Maritimes

TGV prices will increase by 2.85 per cent from the 8th of February

Motorists will see a 2.5 per cent hike in costs on the region’s péages, a figure that is well above the national average.  Escota, the company that manages the tolls in the region announced yesterday that the rising tariffs had been calculated by the state and took into account investment plans for the department’s road network.

In 2011 Escota will spend 290 million euros on motorway infrastructure projects in the Alpes-Maritimes, including planning a new route into West Nice and upgrading numerous tunnels in the region.

Despite the escalating cost of travelling along the A8 for drivers, the Conseil Général will not raise the price of travel along its Lignes d’Azur network, with the cost of a single journey remaining at just 1 euro.  In Nice the price of hiring a Vélo Bleu bicycle will also remain the same.

However second class train tickets on the high-speed TGV line will increase by 2.85 per cent from the 8th of February, although prices on the regional TER (transport express regional) have been frozen until next July.

TD