His first attempt, in 2019, ended in failure.
Fouad Ben Ahmed does not disarm, however.
As determined as ever to have vertical mobility recognized as a fundamental right, the co-founder of the Plus Sans Elevator collective is now working on a bill.
The objective: to include a health clause in public contracts, which obliges owners to find an alternative solution in the event of an elevator breakdown.
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This clause, Fouad Ben Ahmed had already defended it before the Senate, on the occasion of a proposal to amend the Mobility Orientation Law (LOM) carried by the PS senator from Meurthe-et-Moselle, Olivier Jacquemin.
At the time, the man who is also deputy mayor of Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis), believed that the LOM, devoted to everyday mobility, could not ignore the question of elevators and vertical mobility.
In front of the senators, he had pleaded for the elevators to be considered as a means of transport and not as a mechanical tool.
A far-fetched request, given that elevators travel almost a million kilometers every day, or 25 times around the Earth, more than any train or any plane.
However, the amendment was rejected.
More than 1.5 million failures reported each year
“The idea was to put the lessors and owners before their responsibility, pleads Fouad Ben Ahmed.
And it is always the position that we defend with the bill on which we are working with several elected officials, such as the senator (LR) of Seine-Saint-Denis and ex-mayor of Blanc-Mesnil, Thierry Meignen.
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In other words, with each maintenance or renovation operation, the law would oblige building owners to imitate Hauts-de-Seine Habitat, which has just signed a public contract with the company Solution for assistance in vertical mobility.
A real pool of potential jobs.
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Because France does not lack equipment.
According to the latest figures from the National Federation of Elevators, the country has more than 620,000. maintenance and modernization works.
Not really surprising, since half of the cabins are over 25 years old and a quarter are over 40 years old on the meter.
Clearly, the fleet is aging and, consequently, equipment downtimes are not uncommon.
According to the latest figures, more than 1,500,000 breakdowns are reported each year.
“When it comes to breakdowns, they are often very short, nuance Damien Vanoverschelde, the director of Hauts-de-Seine Habitat, whose park has more than a thousand cabins.
In general, elevators are back in service after three short hours.
And the availability rate, in our fleet, remains strong.
Even during renovation and maintenance operations like the one we know today, it remains 98%.
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