THE rail strike in June and France's continuing sluggish economy caused French National Railways (SNCF) to report a 74% drop in net profit to €224m for the first half of 2014 compared with a net profit of €865m for the first half of 2013.

THE French Senate definitively adopted the findings of the parliamentary joint committee (CMP) on draft legislation on railway reform in one of the final steps in the legislative process before the bill becomes law.

THREE investigations have been launched in France following a rear-end collision on July 17 between a TER passenger train and a TGV at Denguin, 14km west of Pau on the Tarbes - Dax main line.

FRENCH Rail Network (RFF) invites civil engineering companies to bid by August 26 for a contract to construct a 6km underground extension to RER Line E in Paris.

FRANCE's minister of transport, Mr Frédéric Cuvilier, has approved the staging of three public inquires in October related to the so-called Grand Southwest Railway Project (GPSO).

DRAFT legislation to restructure the French railway industry was passed by the country's Senate on July 10 with 188 votes for and 150 against the bill.

THE CEO of French National Railways (SNCF) long-distance subsidiary SNCF Voyages Mrs Barbara Dalibard announced on July 8 that a direct TGV service will be launched between Strasbourg and Brussels following the completion of the second phase of TGV Est in 2016.

THE BOARD of Ile-de-France Transport Authority (STIF) has approved funding for the acquisition of 22 additional class Z 50000 Francilien EMUs from Bombardier for use on Paris suburban services.

THE steering committee for the construction of a new line linking Paris with Normandy has approved funding of €5.82m for environment studies and the appointment of a project manager.

THE French city of Grenoble celebrated the opening of the initial 4.8km section of light rail Line E on June 28 with a music festival and two days of free travel across the network.