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.
FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) and French Rail Network (RFF) are making considerable progress under the €410m four-year Vigirail project to improve the safety of points and modernise track maintenance according to a report presented to the SNCF board.
FRANCE's National Assembly approved late on June 18 the first reading of a bill put forward by the secretary of state for transport, Mr Frédéric Cuvillier, to restructure the national railway by bringing train operations closer to the management of the infrastructure.
FRENCH Rail Network (RFF) and Synerail, the PPP consortium appointed by RFF in 2010 to install, operate and maintain GSM-R, have selected Kapsch CarrierCom to install an all-IP core solution based on the supplier's new R4 architecture.
AN emergency programme is underway to adapt platforms across the French railway network after it emerged clearances at many stations are insufficient to accommodate new-generation regional trains, which are due to enter service over the next few years.
THE FRENCH Public Institution of Rail Safety (ESPF) has granted an Authorisation for Commercial Operation (AMEC) for the new-generation Alstom Régiolis multiple unit, which has been ordered by 12 French regions.
THE newly-formed steering committee for improving rail links between Paris and the Normandy region of northern France held its first meeting on January 29.
FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) in cooperation with French Rail Network (RFF) and intermodal operator Kombiverkehr operated a 1500m-long freight train on January 18 between Sibelin yard near Lyon and Nîmes as part of Europe's Marathon project to operate longer freight trains.
FRANCE's deputy minister of transport, Mr Frédéric Cuvillier, has instructed French National Railways (SNCF) and French Rail Network (RFF) to implement three recommendations to improve track safety made by the Office of Land Transport Accident Inquiries (BEA-TT).