It is “out of question” not to achieve the Grand Paris Express, but it is necessary to adjust the calendar to the “reality” technical and budgetary, explained Edouard Philippe, Tuesday, January 23. Jacket construction orange and white helmet, the prime minister visited the site of assembly of the tunnel boring machine of Champigny-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne). The machine will be the first to dig the network in the future automatic metro of Grand Paris.
The objective of the move was twofold : to reassure the elect of Ile-de-France, which have multiplied calls and open letters in recent weeks. And launch “a period of consultations and exchanges” with these same elected officials, which will largely consist in their recognition of the need to delay the commissioning of a part of the lines. “It’s like a psychological preparation for bad news,” observes Michel Bournat, president (The Republicans) of the agglomeration community of Paris-Saclay (Essonne).
“We need to make sure that what we commit ourselves to be the more consistent as possible to the reality of the project,” insisted Philippe. A way of recognizing that the stated objectives since 2010 by the successive governments were somewhat frivolous…
As if the Société du Grand Paris (SGP), in charge of creating the network, is not spared by the critics – its president, Philippe Yvin, is seen to mean the end of his mandate by the minister in charge of transport, Elisabeth – Terminal, the inconsistencies of his guardianship, the State, largely explain the brutality of this return to the real.
“Financial trajectory is not controlled ”
Since the summer of 2017, the executive is concerned about the “slippage” of the costs of this network of 200 kilometres of lines and 68 stations. His bill forward is increased from 19 billion euros in 2010 to more than $ 35 billion today, over re-evaluations and the integration of provisions for risks…