The Council of Paris voted unanimously this Thursday evening for free public transport for all young people aged 4 to 18, from the start of the school year, for the sake of "social justice" and "transformation (of the) model mobility ” .
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"This deliberation completes the previous measures which concerned free transport measures for those over 65, then last year those for primary school children" , recalled David Belliard, deputy (EELV) to the mayor of Paris. in charge of Transport. In 2019, the Paris advisers had introduced total free education for young people aged 4 to 11 and a 50% reimbursement for those aged 12 to 18. Potentially, this free measure, the cost of which is estimated at 10 million euros, would concern 135,000 young Parisians. "It is a measure of social justice by which we allow a significant saving for families, those who are strongly affected by the (economic) crisis" , added David Belliard before the hemicycle.
"First strong symbol of the mandate"
In addition, this free service allows "the transformation of our model of mobility, to make the city of Paris a more sober, more resilient and more united city" , argued the ecologist. The former candidate (LR) for mayor of Paris and president of the “Change Paris” group , Rachida Dati, welcomed the measure. But, "if ultimately the measure costs more than the use, we can perhaps find other means to help families" , suggested the elected right.
This deliberation is "the first strong symbol of the term of office" which will ultimately allow "to develop the use of public transport" , rejoiced the president of the environmental group Fatoumata Koné. “This is a measure that environmentalists have long defended. This is good news for the purchasing power of Parisians, who are finding it increasingly difficult to stay in Paris, ” she added.