"We will not be moving to May 11 as we were moving before confinement," immediately announces Grégoire de Lasteyrie, mayor (LR) of Palaiseau (Essonne), special delegate for new mobility at the regional council and administrator of Ile- de-France Mobilités. Several reasons for this reality: “As of May 11, the operators, SCNF and RATP, explained that they would not be at 100% of their capacity, in particular because they have absent staff. And then, the government asked that a social distancing be made in public transport and therefore the carrying capacity of buses, RER and subways, will be reduced ”. Where a bus carried before 60 people, from May 11, it will carry 20. And a RER which usually carries 2,500 people can only accommodate 700 people from this Monday.
"The least problematic trip is the one we don't do," he insists. Ile-de-France Mobilités therefore reiterates its calls to continue teleworking for those who can or to take alternative modes of transport, in particular via temporary cycle paths which will be set up in the region and in Paris. But for those who have no choice, 20 Minutes takes stock of the battle plan in transport and stations in Ile-de-France from this Monday.
Wearing a mandatory mask
The wearing of the mask is compulsory in stations and in all transport, for a period of at least three weeks after May 11. Surgical masks will be distributed at the entrance to the stations for users. "The Ile-de-France region has purchased masks and will be able to supply them on the first days to those who do not have them," specifies Grégoire de Lasteyrie. Ile-de-France Mobilités also claims to have ordered 2 million fabric masks for Navigo subscribers, which will be available at the counter. Masks will finally be sold in stations, at Relay point. “The absence of a mask will be verbalized. We ask that the fine be 135 euros. It has to be a deterrent, ”notes Grégoire de Lasteyrie. In addition, 300 hydroalcoholic gel dispenser points will be set up in Ile-de-France stations.
Social distancing and filtering
The government is asking to enforce social distancing rules, in the trains (certain operators will condemn seats for example) as on the platforms. In addition, the RATP has been deploying ground markings and stickers on its network for a few days and is conducting flow management tests. But in a letter to Edouard Philippe, the owners of transport companies (SNCF, RATP, Keolis, Transdev) believe that the sector is not yet ready for a safe restart.
What about the police?
To cope with the recovery and in particular to ensure filtering, the leaders of the transport companies request "the mobilization of the police, national and municipal", an "essential condition for the regulation of these flows", they believe. In the absence of measures taken to help them, these companies brandish the threat of a "stop of public transport yet essential to the end of confinement and the resumption of economic activity", wanted by the government. “We are asking the State to give the means. The operators speak of 5,000 agents, I don't know if this is the correct figure, but if 5,000 agents are needed to filter in front of the stations, then the police headquarters and the government must put the means in place, "says Grégoire from Lasteyrie. And to clarify: "If to enforce public order and social distancing you need law enforcement, then we officially ask the State to please provide them from May 11".
What transport offer?
According to Ile-de-France Mobilités, from May 11, the offer will be 70% (it is now 30%). "We are asking RATP and SNCF to be able to go back to 100% of their offer as quickly as possible," explains Grégoire de Lasteyrie. But one of the conditions for such a recovery is that the children of RATP and SNCF staff be welcomed in educational establishments. This is another puzzle that we detailed in this article. Metro stations could nevertheless be closed.
Increasing train disinfection
Ile-de-France Mobilités asked the operators to disinfect the trainsets and interior of the vehicles. “They increased the number of passages. Today there are several cleanings per day in the metros, buses and RER and we are very vigilant on this point ”, ensures Grégoire de Lasteyrie. For its part, the RATP says it continues to work on strengthening disinfectant cleaning processes with virucidal products (30% strengthening of teams with daily disinfectant cleaning of equipment and spaces, particularly at points of contact with travelers). Tests are also underway in two bus centers and on the metro of a spray cleaning process (process of spraying drops of virucidal product).
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- Valérie Pécresse
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