VINCI Concessions lays the foundation stone for the 1st private railway maintenance site in France
LISEA, concession-holder for the SEA (South Europe Atlantique) high-speed rail line and member of the VINCI Railways network, has taken a new step in the development of rail transport in France by laying the foundation stone of the Marcheprime maintenance and storage facility (SMR). This groundbreaking project, entirely financed by private funds to the tune of 200 million euros, marks a major step forward in the opening up of rail transport to competition.
An ambitious project to meet the needs of passengers and local communities
Since the liberalization of the high-speed rail market in 2020, passenger expectations for more frequent and affordable services have continued to grow. Yet, every year, almost 2 million passengers remain on the platform for lack of trains, while the capacity of the SEA line is less than 50% utilized. The Marcheprime SMR, designed to accommodate up to 40 trains, will meet this demand by offering independent maintenance and storage capacity, essential for the arrival of new rail operators. One of the first beneficiaries of this infrastructure will be Velvet, France's first independent high-speed train operator, which will use this site to maintain its fleet from the launch of operations on the Atlantic seaboard in 2028.
Beyond this, the LISEA SMR is part of a long-term vision of regional and international interconnection. Strategically located, it will support the development of future high-speed lines to Occitania and Spain.
"This ambitious project reflects our vision of a more open rail network, for a competitive and sustainable transport offer. By investing in this strategic infrastructure, we are helping to transform the French railway model for the benefit of passengers and the regions", says Lionel Epely, president of LISEA.
For Velvet, France's first independent high-speed train company, this groundbreaking is a further step towards the start of operations in 2028. Following Alstom's announcement on July 1 of the launch of high-speed train production, the construction of LISEA's maintenance workshop in the heart of the regions Velvet will serve, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, completes the company's realization.
For Tim Jackson, Velvet's co-founder and director of development, “the joint design work between LISEA, the project leader for the maintenance workshop, our maintainer (Alstom) and Velvet is one of the keystones of our success”.
A lever for employment and the ecological transition
The Marcheprime SMR also represents an economic and environmental driving force for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. With the creation of several hundred jobs and facilities designed to ambitious environmental standards (geothermal energy, rainwater recovery, eco-responsible buildings, 64 ha of compensatory measures to restore natural environments), this project is part of an ecological transition and sustainable development approach.
- A 14-hectare site.
- 28,000 m2 of buildings divided into two maintenance halls and common areas.
- Fully equipped (servicing, cleaning, diagnostics, level 1 to 3 maintenance).
- Versatile capacity: high-speed trains, regional balance trains, regional express trains, work locomotives...
- 2024: administrative authorizations and preparatory work.
- 2025-2027: construction.
- 2028: Velvet, the first independent rail operator to use the site, goes into service.
A subsidiary of VINCI Concessions, VINCI Railways designs, finances, builds and operates rail and urban transport infrastructure. VINCI Concessions' integrated model, in synergy with all VINCI Group divisions, enables VINCI Railways to manage a wide range of projects: conventional and high-speed rail lines, metros, tramways, stations, guided transport and mobility systems. VINCI Railways brings to public and private decision-makers its investment capacity as well as its know-how in optimizing operational performance, modernizing infrastructures and leading their environmental transition.
