Extension of the high speed rail network in France: Facing the curse that affects PPPs in the rail sector

A large number of public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been awarded in the rail sector during recent decades. A review of rail PPPs over the last 30 years shows that some of them have failed, almost as though there was a curse on railway PPPs. Despite the evidence of risks associated with PPPs in the rail sector, the publicly owned French rail infrastructure manager (RFF) launched two major PPPs and a very large concession between 2010 and 2012. This decision was taken at the request of the government which made extending the network of High Speed Lines (HSLs) the cornerstone of its rail policy.