What solutions to curb a sharp rise in the price of public transport? The Minister of Transport, Clément Beaune, evokes this Monday morning possible discussions with the Ile-de-France region at the microphone of RMC. “We can discuss support and aid for the Ile-de-France region” to “avoid” an increase in the Navigo pass, which the region plans to increase to 90 euros.
“A discussion is still in progress”, he detailed on RMC, promising to “do everything to avoid” an excessive increase in the prices of the monthly subscription to public transport in the Paris region. The Navigo pass is currently at 75.20 euros. In a letter dated November 25, the LR president of the Île-de-France Mobilités regional transport authority (IDFM) Valérie Pécresse mentioned the possibility of an increase in the Navigo to 90 euros in the face, according to her, of the “blocking of the government “.
She evokes “an unprecedented context of soaring operating costs for transport in the Ile-de-France region, linked to the energy crisis”. Another track provides for an increase to 80.80 euros if Parliament votes for an increase in the contribution of companies, via an amendment to the finance bill (PLF), but the government opposes an increase in taxes on companies .
Previously, Valérie Pécresse, who also chairs the Ile-de-France region, had for a while agitated the threat of a monthly subscription at 100 euros, then she had said she hoped for 80 euros. Currently, local authorities finance transport in the Ile-de-France region up to 12%, travelers 38% and businesses 50%.
“No justification” for a €100 pass
“I will not comment” on the internal documents but “I do not want us to have increases of this nature and we will do everything to avoid them”, reacted Clément Beaune. “There is no justification for passing the Navigo to 100 euros,” he said.
The government spokesman, Olivier Véran, for his part assured that the State would be able to discuss with the region to “identify the ways and means to avoid an increase as significant as that which has been cited”. “Now is not the time, certainly not for such a sharp rise,” he added on Monday. on France Interrecalling that “the final decision” however returned to Valérie Pécresse “who can press the button or not do it”.
“The region’s budget will be voted within a fortnight” and “we can use these days to avoid” an “untenable situation” for users, estimated Clément Beaune. The president of the region has estimated the additional operating costs of Ile-de-France transport in 2023 at 950 million euros due to the foreseeable explosion in electricity prices.