In the French Department of Mayenne, the modernisation of a 30 km railway line between Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne and Sablé-sur-Sarthe has begun. The measures are intended to revitalise rail freight transport with an annual capacity of around 80,000 t of bulk goods. Work on the line, which was threatened with closure due to its poor condition, began in September 2023 and is due to be completed by May 2024. Once completed, trains will be able to travel at speeds of up to 40 km/h. A funding package of almost €34 million has been secured for the modernisation, with 65% of the costs being borne by regional and local authorities and the remaining 35% by the state. The modernisation includes the renewal of all rails, the signalling systems, and a level crossing. The two regular users of the line, metal supplier Maisonneuve and waste manager Séché Environnement, are planning to increase their transport volume by 25-30% in the short term. Each freight train will replace 50 trucks on the road. The reopening of the line will also reactivate a multimodal hub in Château-Gontier, which was closed in 2016.
