Beziers-Neussargues-Clermont-Ferrand line due to close January 2016

[whole diary]

[chuffed]

Anyone who has travelled this line will know how scenic it is ..where you travel under the Millau viaduct and over the iron red Garabit one designed by a certain M.Eiffel. There is an online petition in French on change.org for anyone who wishes to sign it.

Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/p/mme-s%C3%A9gol%C3%A8ne-royal-ministre-de-l-environnement-non-%C3%A0-la-fermeture-de-la-ligne-sncf-b%C3%A9ziers-neussargues-clermont-ferrand

Thanks,

[grahame]

The petition text in English - not a brilliant automatic translation, but I have made minimal adjustment rather than risk damaging the message further by adding any incorrect interpretations.

No to the closure of the railway line B^ziers - Neussargues - Clermont-Ferrand

France will organize in Paris in December 2015 at a world conference on the environment, the future of the planet and the climate.

Programmed decision to close the line at 1 January 2016, to continue to pollute with increasing bus and trucks on highway driving is against the ambitions of the French exemplarity. I consider that the SNCF^▸ (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais - French National Railways) B^ziers - Neussargues - Clermont-Ferrand is useful and indispensable for a flourishing country life, a balanced spatial development, the environment, to public health.

I say to myself:
- Against the closure of the line,
- Counter at all road and highway policy,
- For a public transport policy which gives priority to rail,
- For the transport of goods and passengers by rail as an essential element in the fight against climate change and pollution.

I claim loud and clear:
- The maintenance and renovation of the national passenger train "Aubrac" as Territory Equilibrium Train (TET) with modern electrical equipment and dual-mode diesel
- The resumption of passenger trains "TER" with the regional authorities concerned,
- The lifting of the ban on movement of freight trains from the south-B^ziers Marvejols.
- The continued employment of Railway for a railway quality public service

[Trowres]

Chuffed: thanks for the alert. It would be an awful shame if this route closes, though with one through train each way daily it could do with a bit of Settle-Carlisle closure strategy to help it...

[TaplowGreen]

The petition text in English - not a brilliant automatic translation, but I have made minimal adjustment rather than risk damaging the message further by adding any incorrect interpretations.

I say to myself:

............what a wonderful world...

[froggycat]

Thanks for bringing this petition to my attention    I have family in this part of France and know it well.
And for a translation by a native of the petition here goes:
No to the closure of the SNCF^▸ (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais - French National Railways) line B^ziers - Neussargues - Clermont-Ferrand
In December 2015 France is organising in Paris a world conference on the environment, the future of the planet and the climate. The planned decision to close the line on January 1st 2016 and to keep increasing pollution with more and more buses and lorries on the roads and motorways goes against France^s clear ambitions lead in this field.
I consider the SNCF line B^ziers - Neussargues - Clermont-Ferrand useful and essential for a vibrant rural life, for a balanced distribution of the territory, for the environment and for healthy populations.
I declare being:
^   Against closing the line,
^   Against a policy for all transport on road and motorway,
^   For a public transport policy that gives priority again to rail transport,
^   For the transport by rail of goods and passengers as a must in the fight against pollution and climate change.
I strongly demand:
^   Maintenance and renovation of the national passenger train ^ Aubrac ^ as a TET (train for balanced distribution of the territory) with modern duel fuel (electricity and diesel) cars,
^   Revival of the TER passenger trains with the relevant regional communities,
^   Lifting the ban of goods trains circulation in the South by B^ziers-Marvejols,
^   Defending rail workers posts to maintain the quality of the public rail service.

[Trowres]

Maybe I will answer before the moderators and welcome you to the forum, Froggycat!


I don't know anything about the procedure for closing railways in France, but it does seem to me that the tourism potential of this route is spectacularly under-exploited. I hope that this is a point that campaigners would be able to make. I mentioned the Settle-Carlisle railway, which had two trains each way (and a supposedly expensive viaduct repair) at the time when its closure was proposed. As it now carries many times the number of passengers as it did, and freight has returned, I wonder if there are enough similarities for this to be a model. Are you familiar with both routes?

[froggycat]

Not familiar with the Settle-Carlisle route but the area, where the French track is, is definitely very touristic and if managed properly I see no reason why it should not be viable as a touristic attraction.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Maybe I will answer before the moderators and welcome you to the forum, Froggycat!

There is absolutely no requirement for any moderator to be the first to welcome a new member to the Coffee Shop forum - so my thanks to Trowres, and another welcome to Froggycat.