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The Future of the Promenade
Tramway Line 2: A tramway on the "Prom"!
From January 15 to February 16 2007, the public shall
give its word on the route that the forthcoming tramway line
N°2 will follow, between Nice Ville and Cagnes-sur-mer. Why
not on the Promenade ?
At the same time that the construction of the line number 1
of the tramway is progressing and since the first train
arrived in Nice for display for some time on the Masséna
Square, the metropolis authority of Nice Côte d’Azur is
initiating the process to construct the line number 2.
The line 1 is following a U-shaped route of 8,5 kilometres
within the City of Nice (Nice Nord- Masséna Square-Garibaldi
Square-Saint Michel Bridge at the Est of Nice).
Line 2 will stretch from the centre of Nice towards the
West, Préfecture-Plaine du Var- Saint Laurent du var- Cagnes
sur Mer.
This second phase of the network is also considering an
extension to the North, up to the Trinité, of line 1;
As soon as March 2007, various routes will be proposed
The process to start the construction of line 2 has been
initiated since January 2006 ( as per the decision of the
community council, followed by the vote of the city
counsellors of the four townships involved). On September
25,2006, the community council did approve the dates and
aims of the mandatory public consultation which will
therefore take place from January 15 to February 16 2007.
There will be proper information in the media, exhibits and
six public meetings – three in Nice and one per township
involved – which will allow everyone to be updated and at
the same time to gather any comments which might be
addressed by the public.
The aim is to get a consensus on the network, the routes,
the scheduling of the construction of line 2, as well as
identifying the possible disagreements or blockings. At the
same time, the CANCA will start the financial packaging of
the project to test the willingness of the official
authorities, at departmental, regional or state levels to
implement the project.
The status of such consultation will be made public as soon
as March 2007. Should everyone agree on the construction on
line 2, the schedule of the construction and of the opening
of the line will be such that, logically, the line will be
operational in time for the next local elections of 2014.
 33
meters long, 2.65 meters wide, 3.50
Meters high, 215 passengers capacity including 54 seats
and a maximum speed allowance of 70 km/h : this is a
full-size mock-up of the
forthcoming tramway of Nice, dressed in a very special
colour
(Kind of golden scarab beetle), air-conditioned and easy
access to everyone thanks to its lowered platform (train
type is Citadis, manufactured by Alstom), this train arrived
on Massena Square on December 16 at 11am.
« The Secretary of Development whom I represent today,
Mr.Christian Estrosi, was persistent to ask me to tell you
how much he is convinced about the development of new
tramway lines all over the French territory» said loudly
during the speech time, Louis Nègre, mayor of Cagnes-sur-mer
and vice-president of the CANCA, in charge of
transportation.
«This a very much needed, environment-friendly
transportation system which is compatible with sustainable
development. »
Towards the West via the Prom ?
Technical studies will be performed. But the decision of
the public shall prevail.
The construction of the line 1 of the tramway gave way to
the implementation of dedicated bus lanes which already are
making the traffic much more easier for the buses passing by
the
Californie, Buffa street, Maréchal Joffre and Hôtel des
Postes.
Ultimately, the dedicated bus lanes will stretch along 10 km
between the CADAM (Administrative Center for the Alpes-Maritimes)
and the harbour of Nice.
The first possibility for the line 2 of the tramway, within
the city of Nice, will be to use those dedicated bus lanes
and transform them into a tramway lane, from the Plaine du
Var up to the city Centre.
But other possibilities are under study. The tramway might
pass through the boulevard Gambetta after the Californie,
then pass on the avenue Thiers. Or it might use the
boulevard Victor Hugo, or pass on the Promenade des Anglais.
Another solution : a tramway passing on the Promenade from
the airport up to the quai des Etats-Unis, connecting to
Massena Square using the avenue des Phocéens.
The final choice can only be the choice coming form the
majority of expressed voices from the citizens, and only
that.
During the first public consultation for line 1, many people
opposed to the idea that the tramway should pass through a
diagonal still to be pierced in Nice Nord. The people forced
to consider another solution –passing through the existing
avenue Borriglione- idea, which during a new public
consultation got the agreement of the majority of those
people who expressed themselves.
This is why the line 1 is now taking the avenue Borriglione.
This is why also everyone should voice out their comments
and wishes.
To feed you up with ideas, we suggest that you answer our
on-line survey on our web-site of the Gazette. Please think
about it, fill it up and take part to this general
consultation for this major project impacting Nice and the
Promenade :
www.gazettepromenade.com
Accounts
 René
Colomban, President of the Association of the Beach
Attendants
Turning the Promenade into a lively place
«The tramway on the Promenade ? What a good idea ! the Baie
des Anges is a unique landscape : it is much better for the
everyday workers, to enjoy every morning looking at this
exceptional scenery, rather than driving on the speedway
with a view on the railway. The tramway is a very modern
transportation system.
Each city where a tram has been implemented dramatically
improved the quality of living in the center; But I think
that they will all be jaleous of our tramway: because our
tram will be the only one to run along the sea side, with
such an exceptional view ! Taking the tram will be an
enjoyable moment by itself. I can see it better on the North
band side of the Promenade- or maybe in the center part- to
leave as much space as possible to the pedestrians on the
seaside.
And also it won’t spoil the view onto the sea of the local
residents.
Finally and moreover, the tramway on the Promenade will for
sure reduce the traffic there: and it will boost the
pedestrians and the tourists to come over, as well as the
sport-addicts, which will make the Promenade more lively and
attractive. »
 Jean
Causse, architect
A blue line running smoothly on the sea-side
« A tramway on the Promenade ? That would be a really great
idea. I can figure it like a blue line which would run
silently on the South band of the Promenade. That would be
so classy and convenient at the same time : from the airport
up to the avenue
des Phocéens, the line would not be disrupted by any other
crossroad. By the way I think that they are less tubes under
the driveway once you get away from the buildings and
houses, so logically there should be far less works to do on
the Promenade than in the city Centre, so the construction
works won’t be so much intrusive, therefore less disturbing
for the automotive traffic and at the end cheaper. Such cost
savings could be used to implement new facilities. Usually,
the implementation of a tramway line goes along with a
substantial upgrading of the urban environment. That would
be the right time to give back to the Promenade its
prestige.
And, lets dream for a while, within the framework of the
project that we designed in 1995(1): it might be interesting
to study the feasibility for the tramway to pass on a
special piling platform to be created at the extreme South
of the pedestrian lane, overlooking the beach itself…
The only basic disadvantage for having the tramway on the
Promenade, seems to me that it is quite far from the city
centre itself, therefore quite far from the commuters who
will look for it. But as long as we talk about an
inter-township commuting system, this can be a valid
option."
1 –As an output from a proposal contest initiated in 1995
by the City of Nice on the potential upgrading of the
Promenade des Anglais, this architect whose office is on the
Promenade des Anglais suggested at that time to extend the
pavement from the doorstep of the condominiums up to the
middle of the present driveway, and to reorganise the
traffic on two times two lanes just separated by a line of
palm trees to be planted, and to construct a large walkway
on the South by extending over the beach, and to put in
place new beaches with sand, instead of pebbles, to be
protected from the rough winter sea with a wave protection
system set up in the middle of the Baie des Anges. Please
refer to our newsletter Issue 1, page 4.
Tarek Salem (La Canne à Sucre)
From Hell to Paradise
"I have been always in love with the Promenade des Anglais.
I keep the memory of the seventies, when the median platform
on the Promenade was still a garden –the gardeners were
changing the flowers each week ! Since then, the automotive
traffic got insane, the cars are driving too fast, such as
it became very dangerous there, and wild grass is just all
over the median platform nowadays !
Though it improved slightly this summer: first of all the
police is back to enforce the speed limit –but they should
stay there all year long. Second, authorisation has been
given for the first time since very long ago, to expand the
terraces of the restaurants, it is actually much better for
the customers, more especially when the weather is still
very good. But the Promenade is not so lively, there is
nobody at night, and a lack of events there. So the tramway
on the Promenade ? Would be really horrible if the traffic
is still the same, but would be really paradise on earth if
the traffic can be suppressed! But it would be good already
to try to reduce the traffic In Alexandria, on their own
Promenade, the mayor did reduce the traffic to only two
lanes in one way and has put up large pavements. It changed
dramatically the look of Alexandrie, their Promenade is full
of passers by, it boosted trade, and thanks to that, the
mayor became Secretary of Public Works of Egypt ! »
Born Egyptian, Tarek Salem arrived in Nice with his
family at 17 years old. He handled different stores and he
took over in spring 2006, in partnership with a British
sponsor, the Canne à Sucre and nearby premises where they
put up a piano-bar.
Few Questions to the Tramway Commission
What are the chances for the tramway to pass by the
Promenade ?
Well, it is quite difficult to answer to this question
today. The people are just starting to think about it and
the technical studies have not yet started. All the
possibilities should be investigated with their advantages
and disadvantages, the related costs, the potential
technical difficulties and the disagreements which may come
from the public.
A tramway passing by the Promenade would cost less
than if it passes in the city ?
It can only be stated by the forthcoming technical studies.
Should the tramway pass by the Promenade would call for
significant transformation of the existing driveway…
Wherever it passes, the tramway needs a platform of at least
7 meters wide, and also would lead to a drastic reduction
program of the automotive traffic.
Is the tramway noisy?
It is not noisy as long as it goes straight, and also when
it slows down. There is a slight squeal in the curves. The
modern tramway is classy, environment friendly, silent and
cost-efficient.
On line 1, for exterior considerations, the tramway
will not use catenaries to avoid setting up suspended
electric cables on the Massena and Garibaldi squares. Is it
possible to have the same system for the Promenade?
On Massena and Garibaldi, the tramway will operate with
batteries (placed on the roof) which will be reloaded in
between. For such a short autonomy, batteries worth 1 ton
are necessary. Then such technical solution cannot be
applied for operations on the Promenade! However, it is
possible for the tramway to get its electricity from a
pantograph (when connected with the suspended cables) and
also when needed with a metallic slid connected to a median
rail place in the ground, like in the city of Bordeaux. |
