Tramway line 1, “Gare nord” station, in September 2020. -

F. Brenon / 20Minutes

  • In September, attendance reached only 84% of its usual volume.

    It is, however, much better than in June or July.

  • This decrease leads to a significant shortfall for TAN and Nantes Métropole.

  • The plan for free public transport every weekend is not, however, called into question.

    It is scheduled for September 2021.

The coronavirus health crisis is severely affecting public transport.

In Nantes, Semitan is no exception since the network has only achieved 84% of its usual attendance since the start of the school year in September, announces the management of TAN.

An erosion which is explained by a fear of contamination, a shift towards the car or the bicycle, and a decrease in the volume of trips due to teleworking and the cancellation of many events.

Point.

What financial consequences for Tan and the metropolis?

They are already "significant", says Olivier Le Grontec, Managing Director of Semitan.

Even if attendance is rising slowly, the drop in revenue since confinement was estimated at the end of August at 16 million euros.

A loss which is added to the 2.5 million euros of additional health expenditure (disinfection equipment, cleaning, etc.).

At the same time, TAN saved 10 million euros thanks to partial unemployment measures and the kilometers not traveled during confinement.

That is to say a negative balance sheet of 9.2 million euros.

In addition to this total, for Nantes Métropole, there is a shortfall of around 20 million euros from the reduction in the transport mobility payment provided by companies.

Are adjustments planned quickly?

Given the context, Semitan has decided to postpone the modification of schedules and the extension of the network to November 2.

Several chronobus lines, in particular the C1, C6 and C20, will then see their frequencies reinforced.

The major modernization work on the Commerce platform was postponed until the following summer.

In the medium term, TAN is also considering reducing the frequencies and amplitudes of certain lines struggling to find their audience.

But no decision will be made until January.

These adjustments could be implemented at the start of the 2021 school year.

What about free on weekends?

It was an electoral promise from Johanna Rolland which could be weakened by the crisis.

Free public transport at weekends "will not be called into question", assures Pascal Bolo, president of Tan and deputy mayor of Nantes.

It will take effect in September 2021, he assures us.

It could even be launched earlier than expected in order to "give a boost" to attendance at the weekend, if it remains disappointing.

As for the 20% reduction in subscription prices, another electoral promise, it has already been voted and will be implemented from January 1.

Should we expect major investments to be called into question?

If the losses continue to accumulate, Nantes Métropole fears having to make heavier decisions in the future.

"If the transport budget is too tight, we will have to either reduce our offer, or our investments, or a little of both", alarms Pascal Bolo.

New tram lines on the Île de Nantes, extension of the Navibus network, development of Chronobus are, in particular, on the program of the new mandate.

Could they be postponed?

" It is too early to tell.

We are not there yet, ”replies Pascal Bolo.

The deputy mayor in charge of finances announces that the community will ask for financial support from the State.

"In Ile-de-France, the State has compensated for part of the losses of the RATP", he underlines.

How to get travelers back?

“We must restore confidence,” repeats Olivier Le Grontec.

For this, Tan recalls that it distributes hydroalcoholic gel on board vehicles and at certain stations, that it performs a complete disinfection of buses and trams every day, that it has installed a virucidal film on the validators and that it is testing indoor air filtering in certain trainsets.

“Since deconfinement, we have never heard of massive contamination in public transport.

These are not places at risk, ”says Pascal Bolo.

However, it could take a long time to lift the reservations.

"Some specialists say that attendance will take three or four years to return to normal," he notes.

In reality, we are in the unknown, like many.

"

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  • Semitan

  • Crisis

  • Coronavirus

  • Nantes

  • Public transport

  • Covid 19