Passe Navigo: the Court of Auditors proposes a price increase ... "It's not on the agenda", answers IDFM

“Clearly, this is not on the agenda”, assures this Wednesday afternoon, Laurent Probst, general manager of Île-de-France mobilities (IDFM).

A few hours before, the Court of Auditors had proposed, in its annual report, to increase the prices of tickets and therefore of the Navigo pass, to allow transport in the Ile-de-France to stay afloat.

“We are not going to increase the rates in the short term.

The priority is to get people back on public transport.

And that wouldn't be a good signal.

Attendance is still down (-25%), continues Laurent Probst.

We are rather trying to attract users with the Navigo Culture pass or the tariff shield ”, a measure which aims to cap the price of a trip in Île-de-France at 4 euros next spring.

Proposed additional measures

In a report, published on Wednesday, the Court of Auditors proposed several ways to allow IDFM to find new revenue.

Among them, increase ticket prices and therefore the Navigo pass, “by means of social pricing taking into account the income criterion”, she concedes.

“In addition, nothing prohibits targeting certain users, in particular tourists who today benefit from privileged treatment compared to other major cities.

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The sages also suggest involving motorists in the form of a congestion charge, sticker or fuel tax.

At the very least, “

could be increased thanks to the amplification of measures discouraging the use of the car”, they write.

The Court also calls for "increased participation of local authorities that are members of IDFM" (the City of Paris, the departments and the region) and suggests "allowing IDFM to benefit from the valuation of part of the real estate added value that the local authorities and companies benefit from the commissioning of new line stations and stations”.

“It is urgent that the government take the subject in hand”

Finally, to reduce the costs of IDFM, the Court of Auditors recommends adjusting the offer a little more, that is to say reducing it where the trains are the least filled.

Even as user associations demanded, at the start of the week, the return of 100% of the transport offer.

“We have already adjusted it, but wanted to reinstate it as soon as people return so that they are as comfortable as possible.

Perhaps we should carry out work with elected officials to see what we do with this recommendation, especially where the trains are empty", recognizes Laurent Probst, before adding: "But this high quality report confirms that even by significantly increasing price increases and community contributions, it will not be enough with the arrival of Greater Paris.

This is what we have been saying for several years and it is urgent that the government take the matter in hand.

He promised to do so two years ago.

Nothing has happened since.

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According to the Court of Auditors, "IDFM's self-financing capacity is insufficient to ensure, without excessive recourse to borrowing, the financing of the very significant investments that it has programmed over the period from 2021 to 2030" and which are amounted to 25.6 billion euros (including 18.5 billion just for the acquisition, renovation and renewal of rolling stock).

In addition, in 2021, the loss of tariff revenue would amount, according to IDFM, to 1.2 billion euros.