The allocation of the first lots for the operation of the Ile-de-France Mobilités bus network must be proposed this Tuesday, November 12, following a vote by the board of directors of Ile-de-France Mobilités. Here's what could change.
The end of a monopoly for the RATP. This Tuesday, the board of directors of Ile-de-France Mobilités will propose the allocation of the first batches of the bus operating network in the Paris suburbs. If until now, it was the sole responsibility of the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens, Keolis should win for the first time a lot in the inner suburbs.
This would be the “Marne et Brie” lot, which brings together several lines currently operated by RATP and Transdev between Seine-Seine-Denis, Val-de-Marne and Seine-et-Marne, serving in particular the municipalities of Chelles, Pontault-Combault or even Montfermeil.
Operation by Keolis should begin from August 2025, and from November 2025 for the first two batches, which would return to RATP.
A new public service delegation
The main change in this market opening remains the new public service delegation contract. Keolis will, like RATP, be responsible for transporting users on behalf of Ile-de-France Mobilités,
IDFM will therefore pay 900 million euros excluding taxes to Keolis, for the duration of this public service delegation, i.e. seven years, and nearly 1.8 billion euros for the two RATP lots, as evidenced by the documents. consulted by AFP.
The risk of social dumping?
While RATP management was pleased to retain two “very important” lots – those called “Boucles Nord de Seine” and “Bords de Marne” covering the towns of Clichy-la-Garenne, Saint-Ouen, Vincennes, and Levallois-Perret – other parties take a dim view of this opening to competition.
The president of the opposition group La Gauche Communiste, Ecologist et Citoyenne, Céline Malisé, regretted attributions which will “accelerate the process of social dumping”, according to her. As a reminder, this process describes a mechanism where companies take advantage of differences (exempt salaries, regulations, etc.) to gain an advantage over their competitors.
“We are starting the sale of the historic RATP network, set up at the time of the Liberation,” she added.
A fear absolutely not shared by the majority (LR) who swear, as the president of the Region Valérie Pécresse did in April, an improvement in services. The latter explained that “the service was going really well” after changes of 20 operators on 30 bus networks in the outer suburbs.
In total, the first three batches which will be allocated this Tuesday represent 2,800 agents, added a source close to the matter.
