08.12.2009 0

Provence Côte d'Azur: Nice mayor defends his airport tramline budget

Political parties dispute cost of Nice's new tramline

Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi has vehemently denied that his office has under-estimated the cost of the approved second tramline. The proposed budget is set at 450 million Euro, of which 70 million will be financed by the state. However, opposing political parties are questioning this amount, particularly the cost of the tunnel section, citing other cities tram bills, which they say came in much higher.

Tram stopping at tram stop, where people wait to get on
Nice's tramway has been a great success for city goers

At the launch yesterday for procedures for the extension of the tram network, Christian Estrosi stuck to his guns and defended the budget. Quoting examples of other cities to support his figures the Mayor of Nice and Minister of Industry made a convincing argument. He cited Lyon, where a 1.7 km long tunnel cost 108 million Euros (60m Euros/km) and the extension of the metro from Marseille to Fourragère, a 2.5km-long stretch with 4 stations cost 138m Euros (55m Euros/km). In Nice the planned 3.6km tunnel between the crossroads at boulevard François-Grosso and place Arson is estimated to cost 70m Euros/km.

The mayor confimed that the budget for Nice’s second tramline to the airport will not budge and will remain at 450m Euros. As cited in Nice Matin, Robert Injey of the PCF, estimates that the actual cost for Nice will be at least 700 million Euros, referring to RATP’s spend of 100 million Euros for a 1km-underground section. Christian Estrosi did not agree and supported his argument by referring to an article in the national press. He was quoted: "Transport projects in the Parisian region, cost twice as much in other regions."

At the council meeting on Friday, the majority voted for the launch of procedures for the extension of Line 1 to La Trinité and for the go ahead for the new lines two and three.

The new line two is expected to take four years to complete. It will connect the centre of the city to the airport in less than 20 minutes. The link will transport more than 110,000 people per day. One tramway represents three buses or the equivalent of 180 cars off the road.

http://www.tramway-nice.org/

PF

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