FRANCE: Open access operator Railcoop has announced that it intends to launch its long-planned Lyon – Bordeaux passenger service in June 2024.
The public interest co-operative company held a general meeting of its members on February 23 at which it put forward a plan to launch a more limited service than had previously been envisaged. The service plan was approved in a vote by 86% of the respondents.
Railcoop says that because of its ongoing difficulties in securing backing from banks and other institutional investors, it will instead self-fund the launch of the passenger service; the company already runs freight services from Capdenac to Saint-Gaudens and Gignac on an open access basis.
The approved service plan will see a daily train run between Lyon and Bordeaux, running on alternate days in each direction. This will require two three-car X72500 DMUs, one of which Railcoop already owns and is being overhauled by ACC-M in Clermont-Ferrand, and the other it intends to acquire later this year.
Railcoop says that the cost of launching the service will be around €4m, and it is confident of securing the necessary resources by the end of 2023. It is continuing to request contributions from its existing members and to recruit more sociétaires. Ticket retail will be undertaken onboard the trains and by ‘selected partners’, the company explained.
