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Atlantic Arc Commission examines future high-speed links Tours - Bordeaux and Bordeaux - Hendaye

04/29/2008

The Working Group on Transport of the Atlantic Arc Commission met last April 16th in Bordeaux in order to deal with several issues related to transport in the regions making up the Atlantic Art. Representatives of the Aquitaine-Euskadi Logistic Platform, the governments of the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias, Wales and Aquitaine, as well as delegates of the agglomeration community of Bordeaux and Eixo Atlántico (cross-border association) were present at the meeting.

The conference started with the focus on the railway project in Aquitaine. The Working Groups explained two plans set to implement in the following years: high-speed lines between Tours and Bordeaux and between Bordeaux and the border. In addition, representatives discussed the ferroutage -rail-road transport- project, which is underway with the collaboration of the Basque government and expected to be in operation by 2009.

The current Community affairs on transport were the second theme to deal with. The matter centred on "Towards a priority Freight Network" and the new call for Marco Polo 2008 Programme in a communication from the Transport Board on April 7th.

The following issue focused on the "Euro-region Galicia - North of Portugal" research. The intrinsic connection between land management and transport planning was underlined, that is the fact that train-bus mixed transport service does not exist in Galicia and the need to have an intermodal service by means of the creation of trans-regional transport consortiums exists.

In contrast, the Commission expounded the official response from the Transport Board of the Atlantic Arc to the European Commission and based on the consult on the Urban Mobility Green Book planned by the EU.

Next, a representative of the agglomeration community of Bordeaux talked about the steps taken in the city in order to contribute towards the reduction of heavy vehicle traffic.

Afterwards, a delegate of Cantabria, serving as a coordinator of the air transport project, previewed the study project. She also stated the intention of presenting the mentioned proposal in the following call for INTERREG IV B Atlantic Arc by May 12th.

The conference concluded with a proposal by a representative of Asturias to reorganise the Atlantic Arc Commission. The proposal stems from the thoughts to be presented in the following General Assembly of the Atlantic Arc.

Documents relating to the assembly available on www.arcatlantique.org.