Lille public transport system will be modernised and developed with a EUR 276 million funding provided to Métropole Européenne de Lille (MEL) from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission.
A EUR 245 million green loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) will fund Lille public transport network and cycle routes. It aims to provide 1.2 million local residents with more efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly transport services.
This project is also benefiting from a EUR 31.5 million European Commission grant under a blended financing structure made possible by the public sector loan facility (PSLF), which is one of the key pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) set up under the European Green Deal. The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) will manage this grant and monitor the implementation of the project.
The city’s authority will implement the Mel in Green Mobility project that will provide funding for various segments of Métropole Européenne de Lille’s public transport infrastructure. The first part of the project covers the modernisation of the public transport fleet, including the renewal of 30 trams and 42 buses with new clean vehicles. It also features investments in platforms, depots and other related facilities.
In October 2023, MEL and Alstom signed a contract for the supply of Citadis LRVs with a firm oder for 24 vehicles to operate Line R and Line T.
The project also supports the Métropole’s ambitious cycling plan including 220 km of additional infrastructure between 2023 and 2027 to improve safety for cyclists, the financing of a new bus rapid transit line, and the construction of a multimodal interchange hub.
Once complete, the project will have improved tram and bus network performance, as well a promoted intermodality determining the reduction in the share of private vehicles from 56% in 2023 to 40% in 2035. Under the project, the public transport will be more diversified public in the area. This increased network efficiency will ultimately result in substantial time savings on the 410 000 daily journeys made by users, fewer traffic jams and better access to the Métropole Européenne de Lille.
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