MétrOpale has long campaigned for a regular rail service between Dunkirk and Le Tréport and all intermediary stations, with a train every 20 minutes in each direction. The group is now pleased to announce that the regional government of Hauts-de-France and the minister for transport have publicly stated their support for a policy of improving rail transport on the Opal Coast.
Most of the elected representatives on the coast are strong supporters of the project. It will improve the links between the populations of Berck sur Mer, Le Touquet, Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk. It will benefit employees, jobseekers, students, tourists, senior citizens and the general public.
Social and environmental benefits of rail improvements
Billions of euros will be invested in the Dunkirk 2030 projects. These will create 20,000 direct jobs in the new factories and gigafactories in the Dunkirk area over the next few years, so there will be a large population increase in the area. The MétrOpale rail link will provide commuter transport for the workforce, tailored to the employees’ requirements. More frequent trains will enable them to live anywhere along the train route, spreading activity and wealth to the local economies of the coastal towns. It will reduce the environmental impact of many people travelling to their place of work by car. It will also reduce people’s travelling costs by enabling them to travel by train instead.
Access to all stations along the route will also be improved. People will also be able to arrive by bicycle, bus or coach links to the station and keep their carbon footprint to a minimum. Further congestion on the existing motorway infrastructure will be reduced significantly. The whole of the Opal Coast, the Calais, Boulogne and the Saint-Omer areas stand to benefit greatly from the improved rail links.
Proposals for more frequent trains on other routes
We are also delighted to announce that the president of the Hauts-de-France region is proposing to improve the frequency of High Speed Regional Train services on the Dunkirk to Lille line. We highlight the need for a similar improvement to be made on the Calais-Fréthun to Lille route. This could easily be achieved by redeploying the high speed trains (TGV) currently operating along the coast. The Calais-Fréthun station should become the hub of the local railway network and the gateway to Great Britain and Europe. The international service to England should be reinstated by Eurostar or another new operator.
We should take advantage of this political and territorial unanimity on the Opal Coast to initiate this great project without delay. Knowing that there are no financial or technical obstacles to the introduction of more frequent trains, which will stop at each station between Rang-du-Fliers and Calais Ville, let’s do it now! Similarly, there are no financial or technical obstacles to prevent trains from running every hour between Calais and Dunkirk. Relatively minimal investment in two additional passing points along the route would enable trains to be timetabled every 30 minutes immediately. The long-term objective of a train every 15 minutes could be achieved by doubling the single-line tracks between Calais and Dunkirk. The line between Rang-du-Fliers and Abbeville needs to be electrified and the trains from Abbeville to Le Tréport need to be reinstated without delay.
Campaign for better rail links to Kent and Belgium
MétrOpale also collaborates with British organisations, such as East Kent for Europe, to call for the return of Eurostar stops at Calais-Fréthun and Ashford stations in Kent and the introduction of a cross-Channel metro. When this is achieved, the MétrOpale service and cross-Channel services will provide a strong framework for regional development.
We are also working with the TREKHAAK 73 group in Belgium to re-establish a rail link between Dunkirk and La Panne, which will link the coastal ports and the Channel Tunnel with the ports of West Flanders and northern Europe. This will relieve congestion on the railways around Lille and provide better connections for Dunkirk. The French and Belgian coasts would have a united rail service.
The recent announcements are a step in the right direction. We will continue to campaign for rail improvements in our region and for a passenger rail link between Calais and Ashford.
This article has been adapted and translated from a press release.
