By Jean SIVARDIÈRE

President of the Fédération Nationale des Associations d’Usagers des Transports (FNAUT)

Abstract

Nowadays in France, the politically correct accuse high-speed trains (TGVs) of ruining the rail system and predict their decline. When we listen to ministers, economists and environmentalists, we imagine that the salvation of rail services entails abandoning the policy of everything-for-the-TGV (which has existed for but ten years now). Nonetheless, this abandonment would not result in the indispensable reduction in the operating costs of TGVs; nor would it significantly alter funding for “classical” rail services. In fact, the major beneficiary would, as we can already observe, be road transportation! High-speed trains can be economically relevant under the following conditions: the decisions made about future lines must be rational instead of stemming from the fancies of politicians in dire need of big ideas; the conditions of competition between trains, on the one hand, and, on the other, airplanes and cars must be clarified by means of environmental taxes; and the TGV must pay more attention to passengers’ needs.