LGV Bordeaux - Spain is a proposed high-speed line linking Bordeaux to Dax, with the aim of strengthening the Madrid Spain bound line from Paris France. The project is set up as a necessity due to the truck haulage that doubles every seven years on the Spain-Bayonne-Bordeaux highway (~10%/-year). It is projected as a link between the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique north and the Basque Y (Vitoria-Gasteiz-Bilbao/Saint-Sébastien link) to the south. It would be designed as a mixed TGV line/freight.
Currently, although it was supposed to be ready in 2020 the project has no established calendar. Indeed, a transport Comission (called Mobility Comission 21) has recommended to prioritise the Bordeaux – Tolouse line. If so, the Hendaye – Bordeaux line would be postponed.
Strong opposition to the project has been expressed in the Northern Basque Country in the very south of Aquitaine, a frontier region. After the Comissions announcement, the main organization opposing the project -CADE- stated that they will remain alert and that the announcement does not mean they will stop the protests. This organization is compounded by about 50 environmental organizations. They deny to be against trains, although they are against this project which in their opinion is badly planned, environmentally harmful and ruinous. They maintain that this project is one of Grands Projets Inutiles Imposees (Imposed and Useless Grand Projects) and that the current line can be upgraded at a much lower cost and impact.
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