Pourquoi les « effets » TGV sont-ils différents selon les territoires ? L’hétérogénéité au cœur du triptyque « Innovations, Territoires, Stratégies »

A lot of high-speed lines are planned all around the world. Economic and politic stakeholders of the served areas expect a lot of positive effects in terms of local economic development. If it is not always the case, some local economic dynamic indirectly linked to high-speed rail service (HSRS) can exist in some areas and in some conditions. The aim of this paper is to put in evidence the heterogeneity of the wider effects of a HSRS according to places. Using innovation theories, which underline the coproduction of services, we analyze the arrival of a HSRS in an area as a set of innovation services. We put forward that these innovations are different according to the countries and to the local areas. It is a first level of heterogeneity. Furthermore, potential use and appropriation of innovations linked to HSRS by local stakeholders which depend on the characteristics of the area are very different. This is a second level of heterogeneity. Finally, we put forward that the appropriation depends on the kind of strategies of the stakeholders. This is the third level of heterogeneity. Consequently, we underlined the necessity to go beyond the analysis of HSRS effects because the link between HSRS and local economic development is based on a coproduction.