2023-09-07 23:45:00
DISPATCH — The outlines of the “rail pass” desired by Emmanuel Macron are beginning to take shape. This day, Clément Beaune indicated that it will be intended for all passengers “regardless of their age”. The Minister Delegate for Transport has also started discussions on the tariff with the regional presidents.
This is how Clément Beaune paints the thing: “it has to be simple, that the French, whatever their age, can buy this pass and travel on Intercités or TER in an unlimited manner, for a single inexpensive price”, and “if possible also with buses, metros, trams in large cities”.
To finance all this, “the State will put in the pocket, of course”.
On the German model, the price should be around 49 euros per month, but this must be discussed. “I started this discussion with each regional president, quietly, with the presidents of metropolises and the mayors of large cities,” explains the minister.
He wants to maintain the good practices that we already find in Occitanie or Brittany, for example, and to make them a common system: “The idea is not to take something away from someone or to to withdraw these attractive offers is to do better together”. A beautiful project, which some believe with difficulty.
“We support the interest in creating a desire for trains, but the infrastructures must follow: the State has announced 100 billion euros, where are they?”, the Régions de France association reacted to AFP .
“It’s not just about lowering fares, we also need to work on the punctuality of trains, invest in rolling stock and adapt pricing. For this to work, it must be a real service for our fellow citizens,” added the association, which brings together the 18 regional authorities.
“France is one of the countries in Europe which invests the least in railways per capita, three times less than the German government and half as much as in Italy. Much more must be done. The regions will not no longer able to continue to compensate for the budgetary effort,” the president of the Occitanie region Carole Delga (PS) also declared to Libération.
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