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Deconfinement: SNCF's plan for safe travel from May 11

2020-05-06T04:09:08.143Z


Crowds, mask, waiting time: Christophe Fanichet, President and CEO of SNCF Voyageurs, unveils exclusively for Le P


From May 11, SNCF will have to take up one of the biggest challenges in its history: to travel millions of people while enforcing social distancing to prevent the Covid-19 from spreading. Exclusively for Le Parisien, Christophe Fanichet, President and CEO of SNCF Voyageurs, unveils the plan devised by the company to make its customers travel safely.

From Friday, users will be able to find out, on the Internet, how many passengers are expected on the train they intend to take the next day. In addition to wearing the mandatory mask in stations and trains, with the risk of a fine in the event of absence, Christophe Fanichet announces the creation of a PC to regulate the crowds in real time on the trains. He relies on the civility of the passengers and warns: "There is no question of increasing the price of TGV tickets" to make up for the shortfall.

SNCF is it ready to transport again, en masse, the French?

CHRISTOPHE FANICHET. We are preparing for it. It is an unprecedented collective challenge. But we will not succeed in this deconfinement without the help of our travelers. This is why, we wrote a charter which we present this Wednesday. In this contract of trust between railway workers and passengers, SNCF makes commitments to ensure their safety in the face of this virus. In return, we indicate what we expect from them. Called “By train all responsible”, it will be posted everywhere. In public places, in advertising spaces, on social networks, in the media.

What have you planned to reassure the French?

At the end of the week, we will announce with the public authorities the transport plan. We will publish on the SNCF application ( Editor's note: the SNCF app ) the timetables of all the trains that will run for the next three weeks. Both those of TER and Transiliens as those of TGV and Intercités. And the day before each trip, always on the SNCF application, travelers will be able to know the crowds on their train.

What do you mean ?

For each train, there will be an emoticon, which is still being developed ( note: the SNCF hesitates between a color code "red, orange, green" or more or less numerous train drawings ) which will indicate whether there is a crowd on this or that train. This information will allow travelers, mainly on daily trains, to take a train sooner or later depending on the expected crowd.

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And for TGV and Intercités?

On long distance trains, however, reservations are blocked as soon as the occupancy rate of 50% is reached. Our goal is that our travelers prepare their trip as well as possible. Avoid peak hours by providing them with all the information we have. I would like to take this opportunity to make a solemn appeal to my fellow business leaders so that telework is everyone's watchword and to spread out as much as possible the hours of arrival and departure at the office.

Do travelers have to arrive earlier at the station to take their train?

Filtering will take place at the entrance to stations. Also, like when you are shopping from containment, it is likely that you will not enter directly. To avoid crowds, travelers can prepare their trip upstream. The evening before, they will have all the information. I expect them to wear a mask, otherwise they will not enter the station, that they respect the barrier gestures and if it is possible to have a bottle of hydroalcoholic gel. We demand respect for rules and good citizenship. We are mobilized for transport in good conditions and ask them in return for respect for rules and good citizenship.

Is that the commitment you expect from travelers?

Yes. And the SNCF, in addition to upstream information on the crowds, will install 500 hydroalcoholic gel dispenser terminals in 165 stations and all trains will be cleaned and disinfected at least once a day. In Ile-de-France alone, it requires 2,000 additional agents.

Once a day is enough?

We have taken the advice of our doctors and that is what we are able to do given the traffic.

Exactly what will be the traffic?

The line by line transport plan will be known on Friday. The idea is to run 50% to 60% of daily trains and then quickly show three out of four trains for an occupancy rate which should be 25% to 50%.

Jean-Pierre Farandou, president of the SNCF, asked for the help of the police to enforce the wearing of the mask. Has it been heard?

The government has confirmed it. The question now is to know with the public authorities how many police officers there will be and on which stations. Discussions are ongoing between us, the organizing authorities and the public authorities.

Will there be fines if we don't wear masks in transport?

Yes. The price is not yet known. It is up to the public authorities to define it. As an operator, we will not distribute masks at the station. In addition, masks can be purchased from distributors and shops. For example, if the mask has been lost or torn. But the idea is that everyone has their mask when entering a station.

Will a work certificate be required to take the transport?

It is under discussion. We'll find out on Friday.

But how are you going to enforce social distancing on your trains?

From Monday, Gare de l'Est ( Editor's note: in the 10th arrondissement of Paris ), we will set up a dedicated passenger PC. In real time, it will follow the crowds on all of our lines. In two ways: through surveillance cameras and software that measures flows; but also, particularly in Ile-de-France, thanks to vigilant agents. At some of our stations, we will have observers on the platforms to assess the situation and notify the next station by telephone if the train is empty or full and thus regulate the number of people on the trains.

The Prime Minister asked that all travelers have a reservation ticket. How do we do for TER, RER and Transiliens?

There will not be a single solution. This reservation is already compulsory in TGV and Intercités trains. This will also be the case for long distance TER in Normandy at the request of the Region. Elsewhere, we are working on the subject with the Regions. Maybe coupons will be needed.

With a filling rate of 50%, the TGV activity is not profitable. Will you raise your prices?

I will be clear and firm. We will not increase prices. We will take care to maintain reasonable prices, practiced during confinement. There is no question of increasing them to catch up.

In a letter sent to the Prime Minister, transport companies, including the SNCF, consider that they have "neither human nor material means" to achieve this deconfinement. Are you worried?

I am extremely attentive. It will be a resumption under high surveillance. This deconfinement is unprecedented for everyone. We will constantly have to adapt. We have marked the flows to avoid travelers crossing paths. But perhaps the traveling PC will show that we have to modify what we have set up. It is everyone's business. From the SNCF but also from the organizing authorities, public authorities and travelers. It is a challenge to be met together.

Source: leparis

All business articles on 2020-05-06

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