SNCF simplifies tickets

The SNCF mainline rail services had new reduction cards introduced yesterday (9th May). Called "Avantage" these cards replace the multitude of offers previously available and at a fixed cost of 49 euros. Use of the card allows a reduction of 30% on rail tickets (more for children accompanied by a card holder).
The card does not apply to regional TER trains such as run on our local lines. Also certain other low cost trains are excluded, as is Eurostar.
Some tickets which used not be exchangeable or refundable will be from now, though it seems all tickets cancelled or exchanged will be subject to a minimum charge of 5 euros.
Readers who travel regularly on the long distance TGV or Intercity trains no doubt will be au fait with the possibilities, but the new Avantage card may well be a good investment.

Deviations on the A62

Hi Val

I am just back from Blagnac airport and thought it might be worth letting anyone off to Toulouse or the airport know that there are roadworks and deviations on the autoroute so do leave extra time. It is both ways single lane traffic heading towards the tolls and the junction to pick up the Bordeaux/Paris auto route is closed. The deviation was not sign posted and myself and many others including huge lorries ended up in a T junction . It took me a hour to get out of Toulouse !

Jo

Buy your train ticket first, or pay more

Many regions have strengthened their anti-fraud mesures on TER trains, such as those on the Toulouse- Figeac or Caussade-Montauban lines. Apparently conductors  checking tickets on the train will no longer accept an excuse for not having a ticket and will charge a higher fare than the standard.
As many stations do not have a ticket office nor a machine from which a ticket can be purchased the only means open is to pay on-line and either print a ticket off or download it to a smart phone.
An example is given of a 13.20 euro ticket bought beforehand being 25 euros if bought from the conductor.
SNCF estimate that ticket fraud costs millions of euros per annum, but says a "genuine" reason should give recourse to a reimbursement.**
The new regime apparently came into force on 20th March. Have any readers experienced this yet?

The recent meeting of rural mayors deplored the increasing withdrawal of personal services in favour of internet use. They consider that this penalises elderly people who may not be computer literate, despite their holding courses over the last 25 years to increase awareness.
We at Taglines are used to buying air and train tickets on-line, but still prefer paper to using our smart phones - to the despair of our younger family members. One imagines that many of our generation are the same.
** SNCF have said if you board at a station where there is no guichet nor machine the conductor should charge the correct fare. A suivre.

On the subject of taxis

A reader writes:

"Hi Malcolm

Whilst on the topic of taxi fares, the last time I asked for a local taxi devis from Caylus to Blagnac it came to €130 (plus another €130 for a pick-up a week later).  I imagine that would be over €150 now - confirmed last year by Uber in Montauban/Toulouse, who quoted €145.

Best wishes 

Chris "

Many rural taxi firms are bolstered by their contracts with the medical services; daily runs to hospitals and clinics on a "bon de transport" issued by GPs and specialists. That is their bread and butter, and the private hire is the jam, though they find it hard to fit in, which is why evening trips are most rewarding.

A car sharing system would be cheapest, but attempts to organise them via the internet seem to stumble over times (eg a trip to Blagnac to meet a flight will leave here 2/3 hours later than a trip to catch the same flight when it is leaving).

If readers plan their trips early enough an appeal via Taglines or one of the local FB groups could be fruitful.

Also it is worth considering the trains to Toulouse from Laguepie, Lexos or Vindrac.

Fixed price for airport taxis

From 1st March taxis to or from Blagnac airport will have to charge a fixed price rather than the clock being on time, subject often traffic delays. A typical airport to railway station trip will cost 35 euros. Prices vary from 15 euros to 45 euros depending on the distance of the trip within the city environs.
There is still the possibility of the navette to the station and the tramway to other parts of the city.

Airbus drops A380

A380 takes off in Sydney: photo Peter Parks AFP

The Toulouse based aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, has decided to cease production of its biggest passenger model, the A380. The last models in production will be delivered in 2021, ending a 13 year experiment with these 4 engine planes. Often described as the most comfortable aircraft in service, airlines prefer twin engine models because modern engines are more fuel efficient and the A350 or Boeing 787 can carry almost as many passengers on the long haul routes. An additional factor is that airports do not need runway extensions for the smaller craft.
Airbus do not envisage much impact on employment at the various sites that construct the A380 as they can be diverted to the much in demand A320 and A350.

Millau viaduct raises millions

Millau viaduct: pic. Vincent, public domain

The spectacular viaduct at Millau opened in 2004 having cost 394 million euros is today giving its owner, Eiffage, profits of 24 million euros per annum. At 3.5 kilometres it represents over 6 million per kilometre, making it the most profitable stretch of peage in France.
Current toll is 8.60 euros (rising to 10.80 in summer) for light vehicles.
The bridge was designed in partnership with British architect Norman Foster and is the tallest bridge in the world at 343 metres. Its original conception was to eradicate the tremendous traffic jams experienced especially in the summer when the holiday makers from the north headed for the riviera and Mediterranean resorts.

Are "radars" just a cash cow?

A complaint aimed at the roadside cameras to control speed is that they are merely there to collect another "tax" from motorists. Consequently more than half have been destroyed or defaced during the recent gilets jaunes campaigns. But there is almost a history of the cameras being used just as targets for discontented drivers. Some have been regularly vandalised over the years (we recall the camera at Maleville being burned out years ago). And the demonstrations of the farmers in the last couple of years have often targetted the cameras.
Yet it seems that France is one of the European countries least served by this effort to reduce road deaths from speeding vehicles. Using a measure of cameras per square kilometre, Belgium tops the league, with 18 times the number per square kilometre than in France. But Italy has actually the highest number, with over 10000 speed cameras, compared to just over 2000 in France. In fact France is 11th in density (though Malta with just 21 cameras has a much higher density). GB and the Netherlands also have much higher density than France and the least likely place to be flashed seems to be Spain.
So if cash is the purpose of this equipment then perhaps the government is missing a trick.
Statistics gathered by an organisation called Statista.

Autoroute peages increased today

Increases to tariffs are about 1.8% from today. Since privatisation some 12 years ago prices have steadily increased thanks to "greater investment" according to the operators. Previously mainly built under a PFI (private finance initiative) with routes reverting to the state after 25/30 years, privatisation was seen as a way to relieve the state of any costs.
The report on France Info gives the example of 20 centimes increase on the Toulouse/Cahors journey, presumably on the two autoroutes combined.
Frequent users with a telepass contract may see their bills reduced by up to 30%.

Some trains cancelled due to frost

SNCF have announced that some lines into Toulouse have been affected by frost this morning. The lines most affected in our part of the world are those from Rode or Brive. Check with the website for details.
https://www.ter.sncf.com/occitanie/horaires/info-trafic-ter

Motorway warning

Hi Val
Just wanted to alert your readers to a problem on the péage at caussade. We left early this morning to catch a flight. Once through the péage the route to Toulouse was blocked and there was no turning back which meant a 40km détour via cahors and when we got back to junction 59 we were routed off. Have no idea if they’ve put warning signs up since our journey. We made it by the skin of our teeth.
Happy new year xx

Val says: this was sent to us Sunday evening, but only received today, so don't know if there are any problems today.

This is black Friday

The commercial brouhaha a couple of weeks ago was called "Black Friday", but with the chaos at Gatwick today so many readers will be having their family holidays jeopardised. Those wanting to fly to England and beyond via Gatwick may be delayed or re-routed and those waiting for friends or family to arrive from there to spend Christmas here may be equally frustrated. We can only hope that those arriving by car avoid the recalcitrant gilets jaunes or that the trains are OK to local stations.
On the bright side, today is the winter solstice, the shortest day, so from tomorrow longer days!

Possible strike action at Blagnac

A possible strike in national aeroports is expected to be announced, affecting flights from tomorrow (13th December) until Saturday, 15th December. As yet no flights have been cancelled, but passengers are advised to contact their airline.
Due to the attack at Strasbourg security checks, especially on inbound flights, allied to the gilets jaunes manifestations, will be strengthened, and passengers should allow extra time.

Trains still disrupted

Local TER trains are being disrupted with action by conductors who are unhappy with a new anti-fare dodging regime that SNCF wants to initiate on trains from Sunday. Most services will run, but in some cases with replacement bus services.
Services to Toulouse from Figeac (ie through Villefranche, Lexos and Gaillac) will terminate at Tessonieres from where a bus will take over. There may be fewer trains on the Toulouse/Figeac journey.
The link will take you to the revised timetable on the TER site.
https://cdn.ter.sncf.com/medias/PDF/occitanie/05-12%20Toulouse-Aurillac_tcm76-136387_tcm76-210539.pdf

Motorists demonstration tomorrow may close stores

Pic:Richard Brunel/Maxppp

The movement calling itself "gilets jaunes" because they are asking demonstrators to wear the yellow hi-vis vests we are supposed to carry in our cars, are planning multiple "blockages" tomorrow, Saturday 17th November. According to its social media web pages there will be road blocks around all major towns and cities, motorway peage stations and main roads designed to cause delays and hold ups showing the government the public anger over rising fuel prices.
Nobody is quite certain to what extent this will disrupt life and the police have been instructed not to allow total blockages to occur. Organisers have asked demonstrators not to block the hard shoulders on autoroutes and not to cause damage.
Local sporting organisations have cancelled junior rugby and football matches and some stores will be closing their doors, notably Leclerc in Gaillac and the Jardinerie Tarnaise in Albi may be closed.

Electric scooters in Toulouse

We have become used to cities having bicycles available for hire by the hour and even cars in some places. Now Toulouse is to offer electric scooters for 3 euros for 20 minutes, then 1 euro per 10 minutes. Scooters have to be booked by an on-line app, which will tell you where the nearest scooter is and how to access it. Helmets, disposable hair caps and hi-vis gilets are in the scooter's luggage box.
The company offering the service, Indigo Weel, intends to launch the scheme on 12th November and to follow-up with electric cars, bicycles and even "trottinettes" - those little scooters we associate with children.
But to use a 50cc equivalent scooter you need to be over 18, have a French ID and driver's licence.

Call to block all major roads

What apparently started as an individual petition calling the government to reduce fuel taxes has escalated into a campaign to block all major roads (routes nationaux, autoroutes, peages) on Saturday 17th November.
It is claimed in a poll that 78% of French drivers find the call to the blockage justified. The price of all fuels, for vehicles and heating, has risen considerably this year, led by a worldwide increase in oil but augmented by fuel duty rises imposed as part of the government's carbon reduction obligations.
Despite the widespread support in principle and the demonstration being on a Saturday it is not known how many drivers will actually take their vehicles into action. But unless you want to take part it may be wise to give the big city entrances a miss that day.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com

Toulouse to ban polluting vehicles

Many of us have the CritAir vignettes in our cars and vans which are designed to be used when air quality in Toulouse and other big cities becomes too polluted. Certain categories of vignette, notably no. 5 referring to diesels registered before 2001, are banned from the city if the pollution levels are at a certain level over a three day period.
But over the next two years Toulouse will introduce a low emission zone from which these vehicles will be permanently banned. Discussions are being held to determine the zone (current zone is all within the rocade) and the technology to be used to identify vehicles and apply the penalties.
So far the current system, in force since the end of 2017 has not been activated at all.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com

Free parking in Toulouse

For the first 15 days of August the parking meters will not be in use in Toulouse city centre. Some 12600 places will become available enabling workers and tourists to park without buying and displaying a ticket.
This practice was started in 2007 and is the "gift" of the city council. No estimate has been made of how many places are simply filled by day-long parking by workers, but as it presumably is caused by municipal personnel all being on holiday no doubt the same applies elsewhere. Whatever, profit from it if you are driving into Toulouse between 1st and 15th August.
comments to taglines82@gmail.com

Whale watching - in Toulouse

Photo: Airbus

This morning (Thursday 19th July) will see the inaugural flight of the newest Airbus transporter, the Beluga XL. Designed to transport aeroplane parts from one Airbus site to other European sites, the Beluga XL can carry a pair of wings for the A350 from the manufacture site in say Spain to the assembly plant in Blagnac.
The plane has a distinctive livery, with a dolphin like "face and smile", chosen by the company's personnel.
The flight is due to depart Blagnac at about 10.30am and given the clear skies it could be visible from our region - though as yet no route details have been published