Valérie Pécresse, President (Libres!) Of the region and Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), presents her wishes this Monday evening. At the end of a very difficult period for Ile-de-France transport, marked by a historically long strike, it intends to propose, after the reimbursement of the Navigo pass in December, a measure to help purchasing power for families.
What's new for transport in 2020?
VALERIE PÉCRESSE. We are continuing to harmonize transport prices in Ile-de-France. We are going to launch a system to help Ile-de-France families: a “junior pass” for all children from 4 to 11 years old in the region. Transport is free for children under 4. Schoolchildren, high school students and students have the ImagineR pass, workers have the Navigo pass reimbursed at 50% by employers, and last year we implemented the Navigo Senior at 50% for retirees. Something was missing for kindergarten and elementary school children.
What does this new pass consist of?
It is a card that will allow you to travel on all public transport in the region, like the ImagineR card, but at a much lower price: 24 euros per year, about the price of a metro ticket. per month. It will be available from September 1, the time to set up the system. You will need to register on the ImagineR site.
Are those under 12 already entitled to the ImagineR card?
Yes, but the price of 350 euros per year is far too high for occasional mobility needs. Only 9,500 Ile-de-France children have subscribed to it. Nursery and elementary schools are close to the homes of families. The need for public transport is mainly for leisure, cultural or sporting outings, Wednesdays and weekends. And since these children must always be accompanied, this represents a budget for families. This junior pass is a real gesture towards them.
Why not have offered total gratuity, as did the City of Paris?
The idea is not to give in to the sirens of free. Transport has value, so there must be a gesture of purchase. It is a way to make children aware of the importance of having a ticket and to fight fraud. Our measure will allow the City of Paris to save money (Editor's note: since September 2019, the City reimburses IDFM for Navigo passes subscribed by young Parisians, i.e. 350 euros per child. It will only reimburse 24 euros per child) . The City of Paris would have saved itself these expenses if it had agreed before with us.
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In the outer ring, what is planned for the school bus?
The junior pass will also benefit users of school buses. There are 18,000 children affected, half of them in Seine-et-Marne. Despite the departmental subsidies, this transport remained expensive, up to 128 euros per year. These children will also benefit from the 24 euro pass. This responds to a huge territorial injustice, which means that if you are in Paris, you go to school on foot, while in the outer suburbs, you have no choice but to take transport or the car.
How much will it cost IDFM?
Around 30 million euros per year. There are 1.4 million children aged 4 to 11 in Ile-de-France. It has been estimated that approximately 200,000 children will subscribe to this junior pass.
Is this not a last gift before the elections?
Above all, I see transport prices as a reduction in inequality. We must respond to this injustice which means that the further we are, the more we pay. This is the case today for 4-11 year olds with free transport in Paris, and school bus service at 128 euros in the outer ring. We should not be surprised after movements like the yellow vests.
