22 Autumn 2017 | Metro Report International Progress ‘Project of a generation’: Express Philippe Yvin, Chairman of the Management Board at Société du Grand Paris, updated Murray Hughes on progress with Europe’s most ambitious metro project, the orbital , as work gets underway on all sections of Line 15 South.

ew urban transport projects have been chosen to ensure good connec- development and encompassing a social can claim to have the trans- tions with suburban rail, metro and tram dimension, the project entails the crea- formative effect anticipated lines. The result will be an interlinked tion of a new transport network with for the Grand Paris Express network of public transport arteries. 68 stations forming ‘the real backbone orbital metro. Described by Chairman GPE lies at the heart of the ambitious of the Grand Paris project’. The Grand Fof the Management Board of Société Grand Paris project, which represents Paris métropole will become ‘an attrac- du Grand Paris Philippe Yvin as ‘the much more than a transport improve- tive wealth-generating area that can project of a generation’, it will have a ment scheme. It is a massive programme compete with other big cities on the profound impact on urban development aimed at revitalising the entire region world stage in the years to come’. across an area of 140 km2. For compari- surrounding the French capital through Referring to the origins of the project son, central Paris covers about 105 km2. a combination of capital investment and in 2009, Yvin said that Christian Blanc, At 200 route-km, Grand Paris Express the creation of high-quality transport Secretary of State in Nicholas Sarkozy’s will double the size of the existing Paris links. Over the long term the Grand government, saw the proposed orbital metro, thanks to construction of four Paris project is expected to boost the metro primarily as an economic devel- new lines and extensions to the existing area’s GDP by about €100bn, not least opment tool. This contrasted with the lines 11 and 14. Largely in tunnel, except through construction of around 70 000 views of the elected mayors in the towns for sections of lines 17 and 18, the routes dwellings a year for a period of 25 years. surrounding Paris, whose objective was Asked if GPE was a transport pro- simply to construct an orbital transport ject, an economic development project link between key centres (MR 3.12 p23). or an answer to social needs, Yvin af- In this way rival schemes emerged, firmed that it was ‘all three at the same one supported by the national gov- time’. Supporting economic and urban ernment and the other by the Ile-de- France region. There followed a lively On August 12-16 contractors worked round national debate which led in January the clock to install a prefabricated concrete 2011 to the formal announcement of raft forming the roof of the future Grand Paris interchange station at Fort d’Issy-- the Grand Paris Express project. . Weighing 7 000 tonnes and covering According to Yvin, this ‘married the 2 2 000 m , the slab was slid into position in two ambitions’, one intended to foster a few hours ready for installation of tracks carrying SNCF’s Line N suburban economic development and the other services between Paris Montparnasse and aimed at facilitating the daily life of Photos: Gérard Rollando Versailles Chantiers. people across the Paris region. GPE would open up access to suburbs cur- rently lacking public transport and the 68 stations would serve as ‘vital nodes where housing and other developments would flourish’. Metro Report International | Autumn 2017 23 Progress PARIS

Table I. Grand Paris Express metro lines

Line 14 Northern extension Route Saint-Lazare – Mairie de Saint-Ouen – Saint-Denis Pleyel1 PHILIPPE YVIN CHAIRMAN, MANAGEMENT BOARD Length 5∙8 km + 1∙7 km, all in tunnel, 5 stations 2 SOCIÉTÉ DU GRAND PARIS Cost €1∙38bn DUP October 2012 ‘‘ Opening 2020 ‘We expect the first TBM to be Southern extension Route Olympiades – Orly Length 14 km in tunnel, 7 stations, of which 5 interchanges completed by the end of the year’ Population served 260 000 Traffic 300 000 journeys a day Photo: Genaro Bardy / Société du Grand Paris DUP July 2016 Cost €2∙14bn When asked how much the project from there to Saint-Denis Pleyel. Opening 2024 had changed since its conception, Yvin Rapid progress is also being made Line 15 South highlighted the terms of the 2011 agree- with Line 15 South linking Pont de Route Pont de Sèvres – Noisy-Champs ment between the state and the Ile-de- Sèvres with Noisy-Champs. Yvin noted Length 33 km in tunnel, 16 stations, of which 13 interchanges Population served 1 090 000 France, which had helped to ensure that that the final civil engineering contracts Traffic 300 000 journeys a day the project was ‘very stable and support- for the 33 km line had been let on July Cost €5·7bn ed by a strong consensus’. This applied at 3, taking the total value of contracts for DUP December 2014 the political level, at the social level and Line 15 South to €3·7bn. By September Opening 2022 Line 15 East in terms of economic development. there were due to be 45 active worksites Route Saint-Denis Pleyel – Champigny Centre along the whole route, he said, with 14 Whole project approved Length 23 km in tunnel; 12 stations, of which 11 interchanges out of the 16 stations under construction. Population served 675 000 So far, 2017 has been a landmark year Traffic 300 000 journeys a day Olympic ambition Cost €3·5bn for GPE. The declaration of public util- DUP February 2017 ity for the final part of the programme Next on the agenda was the south- Opening First phase 2025, second phase 2030 was granted on March 28. Covering ern extension of Line 14 towards Orly Line 15 West construction of , it followed airport, Yvin continued. After that Route Pont de Sèvres – Saint-Denis Pleyel Length 20 km in tunnel; 9 stations, of which 8 interchanges DUPs for Line 17 North on February would come Line 16, now known as the Population served 800 000 14 and Line 15 East on February 13. Olympic line. Yvin explained that under Traffic 600 000 journeys a day The first DUP had been for Line 15 the Paris bid to host the 2024 Olym- Cost €3·0bn DUP November 2016 South, which was granted in December pic Games, many of the venues would Opening Pont de Sèvres – Nanterre La Folie 2025; 2014. be located along this route to the east Nanterre La Folie – Saint-Denis Pleyel 2027 In an assessment of progress to date, of the Paris conurbation, ‘so this line is Line 161 Yvin said that the northern extension of very significant’. Route Saint-Denis Pleyel – Noisy-Champs (7·1 km shared section Line 14 would be the first part of the with Line 17 Saint-Denis Pleyel – RER) The northern terminus of Line 16 Length 21·8 km in tunnel, 7 stations, of which 5 interchanges project to be finished. Although not will be located at Saint-Denis Pleyel, Population served 800 000 complying with the original schedule, where four Grand Paris Express lines Cost €3·49bn3 DUP December 2015 the Line 14 project was ‘making good will converge. This will generate around Opening 2023 progress’, with completion ‘probably in 250 000 passengers a day, and Yvin ex- Line 17 South1 two to three years’. pects the station construction contract Route Saint-Denis Pleyel – Le Bourget RER Yvin considered the line to be ‘very to be let next year. Length 27 km in tunnel, 9 stations (7·1 km shared section with important’ because the multiple objec- Other lines were still at the stage of Line 16 Saint-Denis Pleyel – Le Bourget RER) tives of the extension included relieving technical studies, Yvin affirmed. Nev- Line 17 North Route Le Bourget RER – Le Mesnil-Amelot parts of the existing metro and RER ertheless, a general contractor had been Length 14 km in tunnel, 5·5 km elevated, 5 stations networks, especially metro , appointed in each case, and work should Population served 245 000 where overcrowding is a serious prob- start on all remaining lines between Traffic 16 000 to 18 000 journeys a day Cost €1·7bn lem. The extension is being constructed mid-2018 and mid-2019. This means DUP February 2017 in two stages, the first taking the line that work will be in progress on the en- Opening Le Bourget RER – Roissy CDG Airport 2024; from Saint-Lazare as far as Mairie de tire project by 2020. Roissy CDG Airport – Le Mesnil-Amelot 2030 Saint-Ouen, and the second continuing Line 18 On time and on budget Route – Versailles Chantiers Length 35 km, of which 14 elevated, Was the project running to time and 10 stations, of which 3 interchanges to budget? ‘Everything is looking good Population served 335 000 at the moment’, came the reply, but Traffic 100 000 journeys a day Cost €2·7bn Yvin cautioned against over-optimism, DUP March 2017 pointing out that technical issues may Opening Orly – CEA Saint-Aubin 2024; arise once the tunnelling programme CEA Saint-Aubin – Versailles-Chantiers 2030 extension commences. Route Mairie des Lilas – Rosny-Bois-Perrier (Phase 1) Under an agreement announced by the Rosny-Bois-Perrier – Noisy-Champs (Phase 2) then Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault Length 6 km + 10 km, 6+3 stations 4 on March 6 2013, the government had Traffic 85 000 journeys a day Cost €1·3bn4 reaffirmed its commitment to complete DUP May 2014 the entire project (panel, p25). Despite Opening 2022 1. The Mairie de Saint-Ouen – Saint-Denis Pleyel extension of Line 14, Line 16 this apparent certainty over funding, the from Saint-Denis Pleyel to Noisy-Champs and Line 17 South from Saint-Denis direction of Emmanuel Macron’s gov- Pleyel to Le Bourget RER are for legal purposes considered to be a single route. 2. Saint-Lazare – Mairie de Saint-Ouen only ernment is firmly on renovation rather 3. The figure of €3·49bn covers the Line 14 extension from Mairie de Saint-Ouen than new projects. Would this affect the to Saint-Denis Pleyel, Line 16 and Line 17 South. 4. Mairie des Lilas – Rosny Bois-Perrier. Grand Paris Express programme? 24 Autumn 2017 | Metro Report International PARIS Progress

Yvin considered that the project was The GPE programme was closely linked grants plus a combination of taxes on secure, not just because of the 2013 to upgrades and extensions of the exist- commercial properties, a special infra- agreement. He believed that ‘we are in ing metro and RER networks, again sug- structure tax and a levy on network op- a different situation’, corresponding pre- gesting alignment with Macron’s criteria. erators — also meant that in financial cisely with the Macron government’s The specific funding formula adopted terms ‘we are fairly independent of the desire to improve day-to-day transport. for Grand Paris Express — loans or annual budget decision’.

Le Mesnil-Amelot 17 N

depot

T11

Saint-Denis Pleyel – Nanterre T11 to be built after 2030 17 17 S N Saint-Denis Pleyel 17 15 Mantes-la-Jolie S E

15 W 16

La Garenne depot

18 15 Colombes E Nanterre la Folie

Mairie des Lilas

11 Villemomble Saint-Lazare depot

Line E extension

Versailles Chantiers – Nanterre to be built after 2030 11 16

15 Noisy-Champs S 15 W Pont de Sèvres – Noisy-Champs under construction Pont de 15 Sèvres S 15 E depot Champigny Fort d’Issy- Centre Vanves-Clamart

Place du Garde

Versailles Chantiers Les Ardoines T10 depot

La-Croix- St Quentin Est de-Berny GRAND PARIS EXPRESS

Planned / under construction Existing lines Line 11 Metro Line 14 VAL mini-metro Antonypôle Line 15 RER

18 Line 16 T1 Tram Line 17 Passenger / freight lines Line 18 High speed lines Orsay depot Elevated section GIF Tram Palaiseau Juvisy © Railway Gazette 2017 depot Metro Report International | Autumn 2017 25 Progress PARIS

Rolling stock order next year for trains for Lines 15, 16, 17 and 18. lines 15, 16 and 17 would be 2 800 mm In January 2015 rolling stock supplier Given that the trains for the four new wide and would require an overhead Alstom received an order for 217 Type Grand Paris Express lines will differ in power supply. ‘Tenders are being looked MP14 rubber-tyred trainsets for Lines key respects, was this correct? at now, and the aim is to award the con- 3·7 1, 4, 6, 11 and 14. At the time the or- ‘No, the contract will be completely tract in spring 2018’, he said. der was reported as including options separate’, Yvin replied. The trains for The trains for Line 18, however, will €bn be different again. They will have a third TOTAL VALUE OF Le Mesnil-Amelot rail power supply ‘because overhead 17 CONTRACTS FOR N wires would not sit well with long sec- LINE 15 SOUTH tions of viaduct on this line’. The Line 18 fleet will also be narrower than the trains for the other three lines, more closely resembling the conventional Paris metro design. Trains for all four lines will have steel wheels whereas the 2015 order was for rubber-tyred stock. Operating tenders depot Line 15 South is expected to open in 2022. This prompted a question about T11 when tenders for operation would be called. And would separate tenders be Saint-Denis Pleyel – Nanterre T11 to be built after 2030 let for operators of the different lines? 17 17 S N ‘This is not our call’, Yvin said. ‘The Saint-Denis operating tenders will be awarded by Pleyel 17 15 transport authority STIF [now Île-de- Mantes-la-Jolie S E France Mobilités], and at the moment 15 W 16 there is no decision’.

La Garenne depot Did the same apply to the Line 14 ex- Colombes 18 15 tensions, construction of which is being E Nanterre jointly managed by Société du Grand la Folie Paris and RATP? Line 14 was an excep- tion, Yvin explained, because RATP op- Mairie erates the existing line. It will therefore des Lilas have rights to operate the extensions to 11 Villemomble the north and south, at least initially. Saint-Lazare depot

Line E extension First TBM Asked what further major develop- ments could be expected during the rest Versailles Chantiers – Nanterre of 2017, Yvin said that the next big event to be built after 2030 11 16 would be the launch of the first tunnel

15 Noisy-Champs boring machine. This is now being as- S 15 W sembled, he said, ‘and we are expecting it Pont de Sèvres – Noisy-Champs under construction Pont de to be complete about the end of the year’. 15 Sèvres S It will be used to cut the Line 15 South 15 E tunnel between Champigny et Villiers- depot Champigny sur-Marne, and as many as 10 TBMs Fort d’Issy- Centre Vanves-Clamart will be needed to complete the line; one of them will be used twice to bore a sec- n Place du Garde ond section of the alignment.

Versailles Chantiers FINANCE Les Ardoines T10 depot Funding package Under the 2013 agreement which ‘redefined’ the Grand La-Croix- Paris Express project, the government included a proviso St Quentin Est de-Berny that the original cost of around €30bn be cut to €22∙625bn. GRAND PARIS EXPRESS This was sufficient to pay for construction of lines 15, 16, 17 and 18, plus the Mairie de Saint-Ouen – Saint-Denis Pleyel Planned / under construction Existing lines and the Olympiades – Orly extensions of Line 14. Société du Line 11 Metro Grand Paris is contributing a further €2∙9bn towards related Line 14 VAL mini-metro projects, taking the total cost to €25∙525bn at 2012 prices. Antonypôle Line 15 RER The €2∙9bn includes €798m towards the cost of the Saint- 18 Line 16 T1 Tram Line 17 Passenger / freight lines Lazare – Mairie de Saint-Ouen extension of Line 14, €450m Line 18 High speed lines for upgrades to the existing metro network, €1bn for the Orsay depot Elevated section westward extension of RER Line E, €300m for extension of GIF Tram metro Line 11 from Mairie des Lilas to Rosny-sous-Bois and Palaiseau Juvisy €352m for upgrades to RER Lines A, B, C and D. n © Railway Gazette 2017 depot