The government wants to launch a “national express coach plan” in 2025.
The objective is to better serve French people living “on the outskirts of large urban centers”.
Soon there will be buses everywhere in the country? A “plan national de cars express” will be presented “in the first quarter of 2025”announced this Saturday the Minister for Transport, François Durovray, in an interview with West France (new window). “The coach is the least expensive and most ecological solution to switch people from the car to public transport”declared the minister, known for having written a report on express coaches in Île-de-France (new window) as president of the Essonne departmental council.
“No question of pitting rail against road”
“There is no question of opposing rail to road, which are complementary. I want more trains and more coaches”he added, referring to the poor carbon footprint of sparsely filled diesel TER trains. “We have paid a lot of attention in recent years to connections between major French cities, on TGV and the equipment of cities, with trams and buses with a high level of service. This is very good, but we have forgotten those who live on the outskirts of large urban centers.”he pleaded, saying he also wanted to address the French who have not “no means of transport”.
“I will see you in the first quarter of 2025 for the presentation of a national express coach plan”continued the minister, estimating that in the event of agreement from local elected officials, “we will be able to deploy the lines in six months or a year”. François Durovray pleads for lines “around 30 to 50 kilometers, aboard coaches, not buses”he insisted. “In a coach, you have a seat, light, a USB socket, you wifi you can read, work, sleep” and a guaranteed travel time where reserved sections will be put in place.
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Among the 15 million French people in “mobility insecurity”, “10 million have more than 50 kilometers to travel every day”he recalled. And these “long daily journeys” weigh heavy: “for the lowest 10% of households, they represent 21% of income compared to 11% for the wealthiest 10%”. A major railway project of Emmanuel Macron’s second five-year term, the Metropolitan Regional Express Services (Serm, often called metropolitan RER), are still awaiting their financing conference, which was to take place before June 30.
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