The president (LR) of Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) Valérie Pécresse on Monday asked the State to take over 2 billion euros of its debt linked to Covid-19, to help it face the explosion in the operating costs of public transport in the Ile-de-France region.

Pécresse has estimated for 2023 at 950 million euros the additional operating costs of this transport linked to the foreseeable spectacular increase in electricity prices.

She recalled having already made 200 million euros in internal savings to deal with it.

Money already raised

On Monday, during an IDFM board meeting, she obtained a vote for an additional 100 million euros in contributions from local authorities, including 50 million from the Ile-de-France region which she chairs and 30 from The city of Paris.

She added that she had obtained 100 million euros from the SNCF and as much from the RATP.

In the case of the railway company, it is a reimbursement of "surplus profits" generated in 2020 and 2021 through the contract binding it to IDFM.

As for the operator of the Paris metro, it will return to IDFM a sum of the same order because of its inability to carry out its contractual services, in particular the bus lines which suffer from shortages of drivers.

450 million to find

"We therefore have 450 million euros left to find", summed up Pécresse, for whom a lead would be to "ask that the advance from the State for the losses (due to) Covid can be transformed into a subsidy" .

This represents 2 billion euros of debt for IDFM, she recalled.

If the State accepted, IDFM would no longer have to reimburse the approximately 130 million euros provided annually until 2036. The council also called for a reduction in VAT on public transport to 5.5% against 10% currently, which would release an additional 150 million euros in 2023.

An alternative to the Navigo rise

Finally, the president of IDFM expects 180 million euros from an increase in the mobility payment, a tax on the payroll of companies with more than 11 employees.

Of the 950 million, "we already have 500 secure", noted Pécresse.

"The ball is in the state's court," she added, saying she was waiting "for us to sit at a negotiating table".

The leader presented these proposals as an alternative to an increase in the cost of the Navigo pass to 100 euros, against 75.20 euros currently, which according to her would otherwise be necessary.

Valérie Pécresse also recalled that the former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe had promised in January 2020 to propose measures for the permanent financing of the operating costs of the Grand Paris Express, which IDFM should take charge of from 2023.

Threats in Return

If these promises are not kept, IDFM will not finance in 2023 the some 100 million euros of “pre-operating costs” of this super-metro in the Paris region, argued Pécresse.

Same warning on the 150 million requested for the organization of the Olympic Games, "if the State does not grant new revenue", according to the text adopted Monday.

Deputy Mayor of Paris Transport, David Belliard, has confirmed that the city will get its hands dirty.

"Paris assumes its responsibilities but on condition that the Navigo Pass is not increased," he told AFP.

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