FRANCE: LGV Sud Europe Atlantique infrastructure concessionaire Liséa has begun construction of a train maintenance centre at Marcheprime as part of plans to enable more services to operate on the Paris – Bordeaux route.
According to Liséa, only 50% of the high speed line’s capacity is currently used, and a shortage of maintenance facilities is a constraint on the launch of new services to compete with incumbent SNCF Voyageurs.
After undertaking studies Liséa decided to build its own depot which will be open to all operators, and acquired land in Marcheprime, 20 km south of Bordeaux. The project represents an investment of €200m which being covered from Lisea’s own funds.
The 28 000 m² site will have space for the maintenance of up 40 trainsets of all types including high speed, inter-city and regional trains as well as locomotives for engineering trains. There will be two workshops and facilities including a wheel lathe.
Construction is being undertaken by Colas, and the connection to the rail network will be installed by national infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau.
The opening of the depot is scheduled for 2028. The first user is expected to be open access high speed start-up Proxima, which plans to launch services the same year under the Velvet brand and has ordered a fleet of 12 Alstom Avelia Horizon trainsets which will be maintained by the manufacturer at the Marcheprime site.
