Beaune makes an opening on the financing of transport in Ile-de-France

by time news


LThe dialogue seems to be renewed between the government and Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), the Minister Delegate for Transport Clément Beaune having promised “State support” in order to avoid a 20% increase in the prices of public transport in the Ile-de-France region. next year.

The rag had been burning for several months between the executive and the president of IDFM Valérie Pécresse. The former LR presidential candidate is seeking 450 million euros to complete her 2023 operating budget, which she must have adopted on Wednesday. However, it cannot be in deficit.

If the government does not allow IDFM to find new forms of financing, prices could increase by 20%, threatens Ms. Pécresse, deeming this solution herself “unacceptable”. The Navigo monthly subscription would go from 75.20 to 90 euros and the single metro ticket from 1.90 to 2.30 euros.

“Yes there are discussions, and yes the state will help for 2023”, assured Mr. Beaune on Tuesday morning on RTL.

“There will be state support so that users are better protected. (…) My responsibility as Minister of Transport is to help the region to help users,” he said. , recalling that the rates are “fixed by the region which has this competence”.

In this respect, Mr. Beaune mentions the Ile-de-France region when it comes to IDFM, the organizing authority associating the region with the departments, the two institutions being chaired by Valérie Pécresse.

“I hope there is no significant increase, because I think it would not be sustainable in the period of inflation that we are living in,” commented Clément Beaune on Tuesday.

The minister, however, did not advance on the form that the state aid would take, noting that the 450 million euros to be found were “the figure given by the region”.

“Today we have no concrete proposal on the table,” reacted to AFP the management of IDFM. “The ministers follow one another and contradict each other”, regretted the entourage of Valérie Pécresse, pointing to a certain “governmental cacophony”.

Olympic Games

Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire was very firm on Monday morning.

“It’s complicated for me to go and explain to someone who lives in Nantes, Nevers or Romorantin that I’m going to take public money which also belongs to him to help the richest region of France”, had -he attacks.

At the same time, the Minister of Public Accounts Gabriel Attal seemed more open.

“It is a file followed at a very high level, by the Prime Minister (Elisabeth Borne), the ministers concerned. We will continue to work with her (Valérie Pécresse, editor’s note) to find solutions, to help her, “had -he declares.

Faced with a sharp rise in its costs linked to inflation and soaring energy prices, the regional transport authority must find 950 million euros to complete its 2023 operating budget.

It brought together 300 million from the Ile-de-France region and the departments, the RATP and the SNCF, and intends to save 200 million.

It therefore has 450 million euros left to find, to be divided between an increase in tariffs and new resources which can only be released if the State makes a move, according to its calculations.

Valérie Pécresse, who does not want to lower the transport offer – which should just go up to 100% – nor give up her investments, has asked the State to be able to increase the mobility payment – a tax on the payroll of companies with more than 11 employees – in the densest areas.

Such a measure should make it possible to limit the increase of the Navigo to 80.80 euros per month.

The other proposals, such as a reduction in VAT on tickets from 10 to 5.5% (of which IDFM would have pocketed the difference), have already been rejected and are no longer relevant, according to his entourage.

In a deliberation that she must submit Wednesday to the board of directors of IDFM, the elected official threatened to suspend a series of payments linked to major projects piloted by the State, starting with the preparation of the Olympic Games and the Grand Paris metro, if the government does not take action.

06/12/2022 11:18:33 – Paris (AFP) – © 2022 AFP

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