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Are passengers whose trains are not canceled, or who wish to take the few public transport that will move on Monday, run a risk? The question arises Sunday evening, on the eve of another day of mobilization against the pension reform. SNCF urges travelers to stay at home or find an alternative solution, while the unions accuse their management of failing to comply with safety rules. Europe 1 takes stock.
"It could be dangerous"
"The level of service Monday will not transport everyone," said the director of the crisis room at the headquarters of the SNCF, Claude Solard, Sunday on Europe 1. The users had indeed anticipated the disruption of Thursday and Friday. But Monday, the group fears that more travelers are trying to use the trains. "We must inform the people of Paris that the situation of Monday in terms of service offer will not be really superior," said the official. Monday, the SNCF anticipates 1 TGV and a Transilien on 5.
The SNCF fears that too much traffic combined with a lack of trains presents a security risk. Travelers are invited not to come swell the crowds, "to avoid the jostling in major stations," warns Claude Solard. "It could be a danger if we do not manage to control this affluence," he continues, fearing "crowd effects on the stairs, falls ...". And to conclude: "it is useless that users rush in case there is no offer."
"Safety is a priority", says SNCF
For their part, the unions CGT, Unsa and SUD denounced on Sunday an "attempt" of the direction "to free themselves" from the safety rules. "To allow a resumption of traffic as quickly as possible, and minimize the impact of the strike, the management of the SNCF is trying to get rid of the regulations on the safety of trains," accuse the unions in a statement. "This is obviously wrong," said the direction on his side. "At all times, security is a priority" for the group, said the latter in this update.
According to the first three representative unions of the SNCF, "the management is preparing to lighten the procedures guaranteeing the operation of the signaling and level crossing installations after an interruption of the long-term traffic". Normally, they explain, when the trains have not run for three consecutive days, facilities "require additional security measures because of the rust layer that can form on the rails, for example." But, they add, "the management intends to grant a temporary derogation to this rule from December 5 to 31 by spacing these measures up to 140 hours, almost 6 days".
According to the management, this derogation "is not new and is in no way related to the strike". "Validated by the security authorities", it "is done safely," the group adds.