“Massive” controls, but not systematic, of the health passes of its customers. This is what the SNCF plans to set up from the beginning of August, when the health pass will have been made compulsory by law in "long distance transport", either on board "TGV and Intercity", according to this. as specified by the Minister of Transport, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, the day after the intervention of July 12 by Emmanuel Macron. "The device will be controls at all points of the journey: primarily on boarding, but also on board and off trains, such as the anti-fraud system for tickets", specifies the management of SNCF Voyageurs.
A random control system therefore, which will not make it possible to be sure of having checked 100% of travelers.
"But the controls will be massive enough for there to be everywhere," assures the entourage of Christophe Fanichet, CEO of SNCF Voyageurs.
It would be absolutely impossible from an operational point of view to guarantee to systematically control everyone when 750 TGV and Intercités depart every day in 300 stations.
400,000 trips are affected by the measure.
The priority, justifies the SNCF, is to ensure the circulation of all the trains planned.
However, most of them barely stay for twenty minutes.
A fine of 135 euros in the absence of a health pass
So who will control the health pass?
"We are going to mobilize various business lines within the company," she explains: controllers, red vests, station agents, railway security teams with the support of the police.
"In the absence of a health pass before boarding," the customer will not board the train ".
If it is once on board, “he will be fined 135 euros.
As for the non-wearing of the mask, that the SNCF agents were authorized to verbalize by a decree.
Read also Health pass: TER, Transilien ... local transport excluded from the system
For Daniel Ferté, deputy secretary general of FO Cheminots, who regrets that we "are talking about the application of a law that is not voted", the government is asking to apply inapplicable measures.
“We cannot control 100% of the tickets today.
With in addition the health pass and the identity document, it will take three times as long, we will barely check 100 people on board, ”points out the one who is a professional controller.
And to note that Paris Lille by TER and which lasts three hours with a connection in Amiens could not be subject to the obligation of health pass while the same one hour journey by TGV would be.
The police will be able to assist the controllers
Like him, Brunot Poncet of SUD-Rail fears “tensions which could increase between travelers and colleagues. This is a real concern, explains the Federal Secretary. They are already regularly insulted because of the mask. "On RTL, Christophe Fanichet explained that he had called for" support from the police "from the Ministry of Transport. Jean-Baptiste Djebbari's teams confirm that "law enforcement officers should come to reinforce the Suge agents
(Editor's note: General surveillance, ie the railway police)
" without indicating the number.
