Surprise in Hauts-de-France. Malgré le violent bras de fer entre Xavier Bertrand, président de la région et la SNCF au sujet des dysfunctionnements du service, la région a décidé de confer à l’opérateur historique l’exploitation de trains régionaux dans la région d’Amiens.
“Le choix n’a été pas difficile entre les deux candidats”, SNCF Voyageurs et l’opérateur Transdev (subsidiary of the Caisse des dépôts), a indicated to the AFP a source proche du dossier. “In qualifying, SNCF is in the lead. There is no comparison: we take the best,” he added.
The first lot concerns the “étoile d’Amiens” which represents 17% of the TER in the region (Amiens-Tergnier-Laon, Amiens-Saint-Quentin, Amiens-Albert, Amiens-Abbeville, Beauvais-Abancourt-le-Tréport, Amiens-Creil, Amiens-Montdidier-Compiègne).
The contract will start at the end of 2024, for nine years.
The SNCF accepts the multiplication by 4 of the sanctions
According to the source of the dossier questioned by the AFP, SNCF Voyageurs is among others engaged in a regularity target of 98.5% and an increase in offer of 9.5%. The penalties will be multiplied by 4 and the Region may terminate the contract in case of fault without paying compensation.
Les dysfunctionnements du réseau TER sont au center d’un bras de fer récurrent between the skipper LR des Hauts-de-France, who notably names an important manque de conducteurs, and the SNCF. Hauts-de-France had temporarily suspended payments due to the operator.
“We, what we expect is action”, reacted in Xavier Bertrand’s entourage. “Currently, there are still 60 missing drivers in the region and we have 100 canceled trains per day.”
“The SNCF will be everywhere”
These calls for competition take place (or have taken place) in most French regions. For SNCF, it is a great risk of losing its historical monopoly. But, as we see in Hauts-de-France, the headline intends to defend his pre-square tooth and nail.
“The SNCF will be everywhere, assured its general director, Jean-Pierre Farandou. We will fight in every tender.”
But it doesn’t work every time. The PACA region is also the first to be selected (in 2021) by a concurrent operator of the SNCF (Transdev) to operate the three frequent lines Marseille-Nice. It will begin operations in 2025 for ten years.
Source: BFM TV
