The Petite Ceinture is the green lung of the City of Light. What if trains were soon to start running again on the tracks of the Petite Ceinture, whose tracks are now in a state of disrepair?
An ultra-quiet tramway to cross Paris via the Petite Ceinture, really?
The Petite Ceinture is Parisians’ favorite urban wasteland. A railway line that surrounds the capital, its wild vegetation delights local residents in search of nature walks. With a further 4 km of trails soon to be opened to the public, trains could once again be running along it.
Since 2015, a framework agreement has been signed by the City of Paris and the SNCF to define the use of the rails of La Petite Ceinture. An agreement that ends in 2025, and which has reportedly already given rise to numerous discussions, according to Actu Paris. “Today, the railway line that surrounds Paris is home to planted promenades and third-party spaces, and could one day be returned to its original vocation,” writes the media outlet specializing in Paris news. But then: what are the hypotheses as to the potential return of trains to the rails of La Petite Ceinture?
A way to relieve road traffic congestion
Several ideas are currently under discussion. One of them is to reuse the 23 km of Petite Ceinture tracks to relieve road traffic, for example with a new-generation, ultra-quiet tramway. In an interview with Actu.fr, Jean-Emmanuel Terrier, president of the Association pour la sauvegarde de la Petite Ceinture, also stresses the potential benefits of reusing the rail network. “Its return to service is a reserve of capacity which, in the years to come, with technological advances and the densification of Paris, could prove very interesting”.
What does the future hold for La Petite Ceinture?
But this is a time for speculation. Jean-Emmanuel Terrier qualifies his remarks and reassures local residents: “At the moment, there is no desire on the part of the municipal majority to put the Petite Ceinture back into service. What we do hope is that the protocol will be renewed virtually unchanged, so that we hold all the cards for the next 5, 10, 15 or even 30 years. One thing is certain: the end of the protocol between the City of Paris and the SNCF in 2025 will be decisive in defining the future of the Petite Ceinture.