“The first Proxima trains will be running no later than 2028,” assures Rachel Picard, its general manager.

L’Usine Nouvelle – When did you decide to launch Proxima to compete with the SNCF on the Atlantic coast?

Rachel Picard – We have been working on the project for two years with Tim Jackson. We are two partners who know the railway industry well, he is more in equipment and I in customer management. We have developed a business model that is viable because we know the mistakes not to make.

Several projects have failed and others are still looking for funding. Why do you think you will succeed?

The project is fully financed to the tune of 1 billion euros by Antin Infrastructure Partners and supported by a consortium of banks. We have the means to purchase and maintain rolling stock, launch operational costs and working capital requirements. Our model will be a simplified offer, very focused on the region to be more agile. In the railway sector, you can’t do niche transport. You have to reach out to as many people as possible.

You have ordered 12 Avelia Horizon TGV trains from Alstom. Why?

We launched a call for tenders over a year ago and we chose Alstom because we really like these trains. It is a train that has already been developed and certified, with more capacity and less energy consumption, and is manufactured in France. When you buy this type of train, you are looking ahead thirty years. Our fleet will be based in Marcheprime, near Bordeaux, on the Lisea site, and Alstom will provide maintenance. The first Proxima trains will be delivered in early 2027 for dynamic testing, before entering service in 2028 at the latest.

You are reading an article from L’Usine Nouvelle 3732-3733 – July-August 2024
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