Sogaris has unveiled an 80 million Euro project to launch a scheduled combined road-rail freight shuttle service into an urban logistics hub in Paris's 18th arrondissement district from an inland port situated 45 kilometers away.
Expected to create 300 jobs, the project is earmarked to start in 2017 and contribute to the reduction in the number of HGVs on Paris's roads. To be built on SNCF land near the Gare du Nord, the urban hub would be served twice-daily by the 'combi' service, with each train transporting 40 road trailers or 80 smaller models.
Norbert Dentressangle (ND) and UPS, as well as wholesaler Metro, are viewed as potential customers of the service. ND already uses the river Seine to transport goods in containers by barge destined for convenience stores in central Paris, saving almost half a million road miles each year.
Last September, the Paris Council presented its 'green' logistics charter for the city, designed to facilitate the distribution and delivery of goods in the centre of the French capital while respecting the environment.