The project to modernise the Gare du Nord, presented in summer 2018Since then, there have been several waves of protests. Petitions from local residents, tribunes from architects and town planners - Jean Nouvel, Dominique Perrault and Roland Castro among them - against the commercial dominance of this project supported by the SNCF and Ceetrus, a subsidiary of the Auchan group, and an appeal from the City of Paris to review the project: the transformation of Europe's largest railway stationwhich was granted planning permission last July, has been the subject of a bitter battle. But it seems to be coming to an end.
At the end of a dialogue billed as " in-depth and constructive" the City of Paris, SNCF, SNCF Gares & Connexions and SA Gare du Nord 2024 have agreed on a protocol to record the City's support for the project to renovate this key rail hub.
Although the works are behind schedule and completion, expected for the 2024 Olympic Games, is still hypothetical, the reconfiguration of passenger areas and flows will already be noticeable by then. " For the 2024 OlympicsThe station will not be completely finished, but the main features will already be there. "said SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou, quoted in Les Echos.
The works schedule has been organised around three stages, starting with the improvement, by 2022, of traffic flows between the surface station and the underground station for everyday travellers. Although TER users had protested about potentially longer journey times, SNCF Gares & Connexions has decided not to separate departures and arrivals. In addition, new vertical walkways will be created to facilitate connections.
On the main lines, the reconfiguration of the Transmanche terminal should be completed in September 2023, in time to welcome the British fans expected to attend the Rugby World Cup. Finally, delivery of the new areas of the departures terminal, separate from the arrivals area, is scheduled for June 2024.
The evolution of the project also affects the strengthening intermodality with the creation of 3,000 secure cycle parking spaces, 200 spaces for motorised two-wheelers and underground recovery areas for taxis and VTCs, so that the station forecourt can be used for soft mobility.
The main complaint against the project is that its commercial dimension will be scaled back. The project for the future station will be stripped of its fifth floor, leading to a 7,500m 2 reduction in retail space and services. In addition, greater openness to the neighbourhood, another major demand from local residents and the Paris City Council, will be achieved through roof spaces that are accessible to the public and planted with vegetation.
