This case study report presents the business model for the cross-border public service ‘Bus transport Bedous-Canfranc’. This report is part of a series of 31 case studies developed in the framework of the study ‘Providing public transport in cross-border regions – Mapping of existing services and legal obstacles’. Spatial Foresight in cooperation with TCP international, TRT trasporti e territorio and EureConsult completed this study for the European Commission’s DG REGIO.
The case studies highlight a variety of business models for cross-border public transport services. This includes governance arrangements and operational provisions to develop the service and address demand in border regions. These aspects will be introduced in section 2, as well as the territorial scope of the service. Section 3 presents key obstacles related to the business model as well as solutions. Section 4 is about lessons learnt from this case. This case study presents the cross-border transport service between Bedous (France) and Canfranc (Spain). Notable in the case study is the particular geography of the cross-border area. The Pyrenees, especially the central part has many high mountain areas with low population density. The main cross-border access is the road. Between Bedous and Canfranc, a bus service has been active since 2009, replacing the train connection that ran between 1928 and 1970. The low density of population implies that most users are tourists, and the service reflects this reality.
However, intense road traffic, the number of accidents and the environmental effects of road transport led the authorities on both sides of the border to decide to restore the train connection. This decision and the elements around it are highlighted in this case study as good practice. Interviews with Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, the Major of Bedous and a number of written and internet information sources have been used to develop the study.
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