Toulouse Métropole voted Thursday to approve an annual subsidy of €10.90 million towards the construction of the Bordeaux-Toulouse high-speed rail line (LGV), despite renewed opposition from left-wing parties. The vote, held during the final assembly of the current mandate, commits the Métropole to a total of €624 million for the project, as concerns mount over the state’s ability to fully finance the endeavor.
The decision drew sharp criticism from La France Insoumise (LFI) and the Ecologists, who framed the LGV as an ecological disaster and a misallocation of public funds. Hélène Magdo, of LFI, denounced the project as benefiting “multipropriétaires who live in Paris” while residents of Toulouse struggle with limited public transportation options, stating, “The State is disengaging and they are asking us to sign a blank check.”
Patrick Chartier, an Ecologist elected official from Tournefeuille, echoed these concerns, advocating for investment in local rail infrastructure – including RER, TER, and Intercités lines – as a prerequisite for high-speed rail. While acknowledging a potential role for high-speed rail, Chartier argued against the current LGV project, citing its “consumption of land” and suggesting funds would be better allocated to a regional express network. “I would prefer the money to be invested in the RER. Likewise, the participation of the State,” he said.
Pierre Lacaze of the French Communist Party (PCF) voiced support for the LGV, but also criticized President Emmanuel Macron’s perceived lack of commitment to the project. Sacha Briand, a spokesperson for the majority group, reiterated the project’s “public utility” and highlighted ongoing construction function north of Toulouse as evidence of its progress, noting that building new tracks is necessary to support a RER system.
The financing of the LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse, estimated at €14 billion, is structured with 40% funding from local authorities, 40% from the state, and 20% from the European Union. However, the European funding is contingent on extending the line another 91 km to connect with Spain, a segment not initially included in the budget. A recent report highlighted concerns that if EU funding falls short, local authorities will be left to shoulder a greater financial burden. Collectivities are already facing financial strain, and a failure of the EU contribution could prove unsustainable, according to critics.
Concerns over the project’s environmental impact have also been raised, with over 200 elected officials and thirty associations calling for a suspension of the public consultation on environmental authorizations for preparatory work, citing the complexity of reviewing 25,000 pages of documentation. Preparatory work, including land clearing and archaeological surveys, has already begun south of Bordeaux, with homes in Cadaujac already demolished to make way for additional tracks.