MAZda1

Leveling-up

Since students of this master programm have different backgrounds, learned different sides of geography but also because the master provides the chance to work in small groups, a leveling-up session is set up at the very beginning of the first semester. This module constitutes a module apart from others. It primarily concerns quantitative geography with statistics and using the R software ( statistical software) in order to better perform spatial analysis. There is also a leveling-up session concerning the geographic information system software with the arcGIS package. There are also, during the first semester, a leveling up in qualitative research methods with a focus on copyright protection rules, in interview management and in tools for better team work.

High speed line project in the Rhin Rhone axis

This article exposes the project of train high speed line along the Rhin Rhone axis. The future of transport in Europe is of high priority at many policy levels This article deals with notions of accessibility, an important factor of territorial development. The LGV Rhin-Rhone is part of TEN-T Priority Project 24. It involves five Member States (the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and Italy) and transits through Switzerland.

Introduction

Intervention Area

The intervention area concerns a surface of 800km

Location

The Rhine-Rhone route will connect with the Mediterranean LGV route and establish a link between Southern and Northern Europe.

Initiators

European Union is the initiator of this project to provide a well-think rail network for goods and people in the EU This project has been initiated by The European Commission’s proposals to strengthen links between Transport policies. Then Regions have teamed up with others located along the corridors between Nothern and Eastern Europe to contribute to the consultation process, through the declaration drawn up at the summit meeting of these regions in Barcelona in 2009, Regions endorses TEN-T planning that incorporates EU 2020 strategy targerts which would be based on the continuation of open Priority Projects including the Lyon/Genova basel duisdurg rotterdam PP24

Current spatial issues

Europe appears as a mosaic with regions of high, medium and low accessibility: To interwave the core-periphery pattern by a polycentric structure: An interesting link to 2 big European diagonals. A way to review the main territorial structure built up over history in the core-periphery dichotomy and to provide a more polycentric accessibility by rail The Rhine-Rhone Metropolitan Territory occupies a truly privileged location at a major European crossroads,

Objectives

La LGV Rhin-Rhône aims is to provide a new geographic area . For example the eastern bran will contribute to insert France in a Europe progressively more extended to the East. This project constitute a territory which offers to metropolitan citizens new services in a more accessible and more visible territory Favouring public transport: to prevent potential congestion and pollution challenges Multimodal accessibility: to influence territorial balances within Europe Accessibility by road is less volatile than accessibility by air----due to recent cancellatio of many flights as consequence of the financial crisis Depends more on market fluctuations than aerial transports A way to increase Eastern Europe competitiveness and territorial cohesion at European scale To connect smaller cities to : European metropolis Major intermodal hubs To create a big european diagonal To review the core-periphery dichotomy at a regional, national and European level

Methodology

Strategies

higher level of funding needed

moreover since the bulk of TEN T funding is currently provided by MS and local authorities, the goal of requiring a common definition of priorities for the TEN-T and National and regional projects will lead to faster completion

Environmental concerns have been given due thought during planning of the route. Around 40% of it will pass through deep forests, and noise reduction barriers will be installed for local residents. In addition, 10% of the designated route has been the subject of detailed archaeological studies.

Conclusion