Transports : the second subway line in Rennes does not match the city's challenges

The Breton Party regrets that the City Council of Rennes chose to create a second subway line, which is extremely expensive (1,2 billion euros) and doesn't meet the evolutions of the Rennes area over the past 10 years, as far as infrastructure and public transport are concerned.

The middle-class families live outside Rennes because of the housing cost, which induces a growing use of automobiles. The subway, as performant as it may be for inner city transport, does not meet the new stakes of suburban development, because the commercial areas, where employment is created, will not be served.

Besides, it is doubtful that the second line project can be finished by 2018, because of uncertain financing. Rennes is not excluded from the global economic difficulties. This evolution has to be taken into account, and the Breton Party proposes the creation of another type of transport, from 4 to 8 times as cheap, but as comfortable and almost as fast, such as a tramway or "busway".

With a more reasonable budget, we could offer a performant public transport service, reaching out to the suburbs, to propose a real alternative to those who use their car everyday. It is a real response to the ecological stakes. This "fast" network could then allow to go from one point to the other, not going through the city centre necessarily, thus meeting the need of the Rennes people.

These alternatives would be easier to implement and would preserve the investment capacities for the other strategic projects that will be needed for a "regional capital" and a "European metropol".

The Breton Party is not against the subway, but it is necessary to discuss this topic in a pragmatic way, and to prioritise the response that will meet the needs of the majority. In conclusion, the Breton Party demands that the studies for alternative solutions should be reinitiated and lead with objectivity, as long as the chosen project will not offer the sufficient budgetary guarantees.

Sébastien Girard

St-Jacques-de-la-Lande city councillor

Secretary of the Ille-et-Vilaine federation of the Breton Party