Many trains in France still contain asbestos. If there is no danger for passengers, this could pose a big problem with regard to the opening of passenger transport to competition. BFMTV explains why.
Its use has been prohibited since 1997, but we continue to find it almost everywhere. Asbestos, banned because of the serious illnesses it can cause in the event of prolonged exposure, is still present in particular in many railway trains, underline our colleagues from BFMTV on Saturday November 16. And this risks being problematic for the opening to competition of regional passenger transport lines.
If these trains have not been completely removed asbestos, it is because the asbestos is found in the insulation of closed compartments, which are not in contact with the public or SNCF agents and therefore do not pose a safety problem. public health.
On the other hand, where this can block is for the resale of these trains, as part of the opening up of regional lines to competition. A 2006 European regulation, transposed in France, prohibits the sale or transfer of any goods containing asbestos in the European Union, and therefore of the trains concerned.
A very heavy bill
However, removing asbestos from vehicles would cost a fortune: for the Hauts-de-France region, for example, removing asbestos from the 40 asbestos-containing trains would cost 1 billion euros. A bill that the community cannot cover, not to mention that the operation is very long.
Another solution is to ask the new operator on the line to purchase new equipment. “But that means the entry fee is much higher“, explains rail transport specialist Gilles Dansart, thus favoring the maintenance of the SNCF monopoly. Purchasing new trains also wastes time for the new operator.
published on November 16 at 5:21 p.m., Adèle Delaunay, 6Medias
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