La Red de Alta Velocidad Europea: Más un mosaico poco efectivo que una realidad

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76. We also found that seven stations were not appropriately sized: four were too big, and
three were too small for the number of passengers. Four stations did not provide general
services to the public. Five stations were not well connected, while another seven could
benefit from improved connections.
77. By analysing changes over time (for example, in the job market, the property market,
and the number of businesses attracted and jobs created), we saw no clear regeneration
effects from 15 of the 18 stations on the audited high-speed lines. The opening of the
Belfort-Montbéliard station on the Rhin-Rhône line had encouraged shops and a hotel to
open nearby, and allowed a regional hospital to be relocated. In two other cases, upgrade
works in the stations – linked to the arrival of high-speed services – created easier
connections between neighbourhoods which were previously separated by rail tracks. This
indicates that high-speed lines may accompany and support economic improvements
already started and anticipated by the region, but it will not, on its own, cause a local
economic boom 42 .
High-speed rail sustainability: effectiveness of the EU co-funding at risk
78. If a high-speed line is to be successful and the investment sustainable, it should be able
to carry a high number of passengers. We assessed this element in two ways: by
benchmarking the passenger numbers carried over time, and by analysing the number of
people living in the catchment area along the line.
Passenger data analysis: three of the seven completed high-speed rail lines carry fewer
passengers than the benchmark of nine million per year
79. Judging by a benchmark arising from academic and institutional sources, a high-speed
line should ideally have nine million passengers, or at least six million in the opening year to
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The research study « Retour sur les effets économiques du TGV. Les effets structurants sont un
mythe” came to similar conclusions. Source: Prof. Y. Crozet: https://halshs.archivesouvertes.fr/halshs-01094554/document