Summary sheet
This is a major allocation under the framework loan 2018-0285. The components included in the allocation are the following: (i) The construction of the 2 electric Bus Rapid Transit lines: Line B going from Royat place Allard to Aulnat and Line C going from Cournon d'Auvergne to Durtol; (ii) The implementation for the associated equipment ( information and management systems, charging infrastructure); (iii) The construction of a new bus depot; (iv)The purchase of 40 articulated electric buses for the Bus Rapid Transit lines and additional 11 articulated electric buses and 3 standard electric buses for other bus lines.
The purpose of this allocation is to finance the components of the short-medium term multiannual investment plan of the Syndicat Mixte des Transports of Clermont (SMTC-AC). The schemes will benefit the Clermont metropolitan area (Clermont Ferrand and the 20 surrounding municipalities) as well as two additional municipalities, Mur-sur-Allier and Pérignat-es-Allier. The project is critical to secure the future of existing sustainable urban mobility alternatives, especially for the most vulnerable people in peripheral areas of the urban area, which need public transport.
The components included in this large allocation are part of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and aim at improving the quality and attractiveness of public transport services in the city of Clermont Ferrand. They are therefore expected to reduce reliance on passenger cars and their modal share of urban mobility, limit their associated environmental impact and improve the economic, environmental and social performance of the urban public transport network.
The expected results of the implementation of the components to be allocated include travel time savings for users, reduced road congestion, improved accessibility to places of study and work through more efficient and affordable public transport and better environmental sustainability, particularly as regards reduced air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and road accidents.
The promoter has benefited from European Investment Advisory Hub support that contributed to articulate the most technically and financially optimal energy transition strategy for greening their entire bus fleet. The components related to the energy transition of the bus fleet contribute to developing the market for the deployment of alternative fuel vehicles and associated infrastructure and to the overall EU ambition to reduce transport related CO2 emissions.
The long-term financing granted by the EIB will help to make the investment more cost-efficient for the borrower and will allow it to diversify its sources of financing. The possibility of obtaining a fixed rate over a long maturity and the flexibility offered during drawings are elements which will make it possible to adapt/spread the debt burden.
The infrastructure works to improve the level of service of the bus lines as well as the construction of the new depot, fall under annex II of the Directive 2011/92/EU as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU. The overall project was subject to an impact assessment procedure and, following the favorable opinion issued by the public inquiry commission, it was subject to a declaration of public utility by prefectural decree on 7 October 2022. Manufacturing of rolling stock and the instalment of the associated charging infrastructure inside existing depots does not fall within the scope of the Directive 2011/92/EU as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU. Therefore, no EIA has been required for these components. The Project has no impact on Natura 2000 sites as confirmed by the impact assessment procedure.
The Promoter has to ensure that contracts for implementation of the project are tendered in accordance with the applicable EU procurement legislation, in particular Directive 2014/23/EU as well as Directive 92/13/EEC as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with publication of tender notices in the EU Official Journal, as and where required.
The cost of the Inspire project is budgeted to date at EUR 324m. Other investments related to the future 2026 public transport network as well as the renewal of the bus fleet excluding Inspire lines (energy transition) also constitute a base of expenditure which contributes to a potential volume of EUR 400m.