SYSTRA France, a division of engineering and consulting company Systra Group, has secured a nine-year general and technical project management assistant contract for the Bordeaux-Toulouse and Bordeaux-Dax high-speed line in the country.
Said to be France’s largest rail infrastructure development, this new line is set to significantly reduce travel times between key cities in the south-west region.
SYSTRA's involvement will span all design and construction phases, supporting the New Southwest Line (LNSO) initiative led by GPSO (SNCF Réseau).
The LNSO project is a response to population growth in the Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions and the demand for rapid, low-carbon transport options.
The high-speed line will enhance the rail network's efficiency on local, national, and European scales.
The collaboration with SYSTRA was made possible through funding from the French state, territorial authorities, and the EU.
SYSTRA's team of nearly 100 employees, primarily based in Bordeaux and Toulouse, will leverage their expertise to deliver on various responsibilities until 2034.
These include defining the technical programme, managing the project's administrative, financial, and environmental aspects, ensuring adherence to budget and timelines, and integrating innovative, environmentally friendly technologies.
The initial phase involves finalising the Bordeaux-Toulouse link programme to set the stage for upcoming design-build tenders.
This line, an extension of the existing Tours-Bordeaux high-speed line, will establish a connection between Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie, extending to Montpellier, Perpignan, and further towards Spain at Irun.
Moreover, the Bordeaux-Dax and Bordeaux-Toulouse branches will interconnect, creating a direct Toulouse-Spain route.
Spanning over 400km, the Y-shaped passenger-dedicated line is expected to alleviate pressure on the current railway, allowing increased freight traffic and an expanded number of regional express trains.
SYSTRA France CEO Éric de Balincourt said: “At SYSTRA France, we are proud to have supported our client SNCF for many years, with whom we share an ambitious and sustainable vision of rail mobility. This trusting, long-term collaboration perfectly illustrates our commitment to contributing to structuring projects that serve local communities and their residents.
"Our teams based in Toulouse and Bordeaux are particularly pleased to contribute to the realisation of this magnificent project.”
Additionally, the initiative encompasses the refurbishment of the railway network to the north of Toulouse, a project that has seen SYSTRA France's involvement as the project manager since 2021.
GPSO Agency at SNCF Réseau director Christophe Huau said: “We are counting on SYSTRA’s recognised expertise and excellence to help us implement this major project, which is driven by innovation, environmental ambition, and performance.”
Last month, SYSTRA, in partnership with the Nantes Metropolis public space department, was assigned to lead a project for the transformation of the Anne-de-Bretagne Bridge in Nantes into a public space.
