- After the free Navigo Pass for children under 11 in September 2019, the city of Paris applies the same measure for middle and high school students.
- "Free for children under 11 costs 18 million, so we add 10 million for middle school and high school students," says David Belliard.
- This deliberation was voted on by the Paris Council which takes place this Thursday and Friday.
Promise kept. While Anne Hidalgo had announced in January 2020 free public transport for those under 18 in Paris if she was re-elected, it is now a reality. A deliberation was voted in this direction at the Paris Council which takes place this Thursday and Friday. From the start of the school year in September, Parisian middle and high school students will be able to take advantage of this measure. David Belliard, EELV candidate for mayor of Paris who made an alliance with Anne Hidalgo in between two-rounds, and now new deputy in charge of transport, returns for 20 Minutes on the details of this device which concerns 130,000 young Parisians .
What will be the contours of this free transport for young people under 18?
After free for children under 11 introduced in September 2019, from the start of the 2020 school year, middle school and high school students will also be able to benefit from free public transport. This is a discussion that we have been having since 2017. It started with free for seniors over 65, then free for children under 11 and for minors with disabilities. Today, we are offering an extension for middle and high school students. This measure concerns the annual subscription to the Pass Navigo and 135,000 young people will be able to benefit from it.
Concretely, is it a free Navigo Pass with no advance to pay?
The objective is to arrive at a system where the beneficiaries will have nothing to pay. Discussions are underway with Ile-de-France Mobilités on this subject. But for the moment, and this from the start of the school year, we are setting up a refund of the Navigo Pass, subject to filling out a form from the city of Paris and providing some supporting documents. The treatment will take between 4 and 6 weeks. For people who cannot advance the amount, monthly payment is possible. This will allow them to advance only one or two months of subscription before obtaining the full refund.
This extension of free public transport for all Parisians under the age of 18 was one of Anne Hidalgo's campaign promises, was it important to implement it as soon as possible after her election?
Yes, and all the more so since this measure is a convergence of the proposals made by Anne Hidalgo and environmentalists during the campaign. It is a fundamental and extremely strong measure, both ecologically and socially. The economic crisis has prompted us to develop solidarity and aid measures for those most in difficulty. In addition, we want to give a strong impetus to the issue of the use of public transport and active mobility. We are going to open a new chapter, revolutionizing the way we think about the city and this involves the recovery of public space and the massive development of other forms of mobility, with the desire to act very quickly and very strongly on transport. in common. This is a strong signal. It is a measure to encourage the youngest to use them.
The Navigo Pass for middle and high school students costs 350 euros per year and is already 75% funded by aid from the city of Paris and the Ile-de-France region, so you come and pay the remaining 25%. How much is it going to cost the city?
We have budgeted an additional 10 million euros. Free for children under 11 costs 18 million, so we add 10 million for middle and high school students. It is a strong choice made by our majority that the city helps those most in difficulty. It is a social investment, made within a controlled budgetary framework.
At the time of Anne Hidalgo's promise of free admission for those under 18, some in the opposition spoke of a "measuring tape for electoral purposes" ... What do you say today?
It is a perfectly coherent measure, which gives substance to the philosophy of our policy and our priorities. We are in a logic of ecological transformation of the city, and this requires mechanisms of solidarity and social justice by helping the youngest to use public transport.
You mentioned discussions on the subject in progress with the president of the region and transport in Ile-de-France, Valérie Pécresse, what is the content?
We have and we are going to have discussions on this subject, but not only. Today, we are having a discussion on the 2.6 billion euros which is missing, and we call on the State to make up for this deficit. He put in 7 billion for aviation, 7 billion for the automobile, it is necessary to put money for the railroad and in public transport of the daily newspaper. On this, Valérie Pécresse is in the same position as that defended by our majority. More generally, we have common interests in improving the public transport offer in Ile-de-France.
Can we imagine other free mobility aids or measures during this mandate?
In the fall, we are going to set up the States General for parking and mobility. I would like to see a very strong discussion on the mechanisms that we could consider to promote access to public transport and to bicycles.
In the long term, will there be universal free public transport in Paris?
It is an old debate on universal free access. I believe that it is a public service whose use is constrained and I am personally in favor of free transport. But we also have financial constraints. Today, we are already taking a very important step in favor of free access and I believe that we can collectively congratulate ourselves on this.
Paris
Anne Hidalgo announces a modification of the ring road for 2024
Paris
Coronavirus: Valérie Pécresse temporarily cuts food from RATP and SNCF
- Free
- Public transport
- Anne Hidalgo
- David Belliard
- Paris