RER A: attacked by Cergy, Poissy defends its line

This is a new episode in the transport battle between the agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise (Val-d’Oise) and Poissy (Yvelines). Saturday April 27, 2024, the mayor of Poissy, Sandrine Berno Dos Santos, was on the station square, leaflet in hand, to deny ” the rumor “.

These are the words of the mayor of Cergy, and president of the agglomeration, Jean-Paul Jeandon, who has been saying for several weeks that two RER A trains will switch from Poissy to Cergy when Eole is in service at the end of 2026.

Supported by the deputy, Karl Olive, and the mayor of Carrières-sous-Poissy, Eddie Aït, who came as Vice-President of the GPSEO urban community delegated to mobility, Sandrine Berno Dos Santos mobilized her entire municipal team and some users , not very numerous on a Saturday morning, to proclaim: “No, the RER A has not at all vocation to disappear, quite the contrary! »

“It’s not because you tell an untruth 50 times that it becomes true. In any case, Cergy does not have the capacity to accommodate additional RER A lines.”

Ile-de-France Mobilités reassures

Regional advisor, the Pisciacaise elected official cites as proof the response she received from Pierre Ravier, general director of Ile-de-France Mobilités. She questioned him on the subject and he wrote to her at the end of April: “The future service to Poissy by the RER E (Eole) will complement the service by the RER A branch whose elimination is not planned. Furthermore, studies carried out in recent years by operators have shown that an increase in the number of traffic between Achères and Cergy is not Not possible without changing the signage. »

“It is not for nothing that we changed the route of the Tram 13 extension, by creating three stations in Poissy. »

And the former mayor continued: “There is a strategy of mobility which will strengthen interconnections. The RER A is one of them. The attempt to destabilize Cergy will change nothing. »

More users in Cergy

Coming as a neighbor to reassure users, of which he is one, the Deputy Vice-President for Mobility, Eddie AÏt calls for “territorial cooperation fruitful » to respond to “the challenges of mobility and ecological transition”. He campaigns for “an extension of everyday public transport and a better response to the needs of users” and nevertheless recognizes that “the Cergy branch has four to five times more users than the Poissy branch”.

“It’s a battle for territory on issues of mobility and economic development. »

On the other side of the Seine, its inhabitants await the bridge for pedestrians and bicycles which will allow you to reach Poissy station in complete safety. “Our territory is cycle-friendly, we must secure it and encourage all innovations that reduce the carbon footprint of individual travel. »

Already attacked on the Achères bridge

While he is one of the Yvelin elected officials who are calling for new impact studies on the Achères bridge project, the Carrière elected official takes a step back when Sandrine Berno Dos Santos and Karl Olive defend its necessity. “ 70% of road traffic in Poissy is transit traffic. The Achères bridge will help relieve congestion in Poissy,” says the mayor.

The “Non au pont d’Achères” association, which opposes an “A104 bis project”, has received the support of elected officials from Val-d’Oise in recent months.

Create a user collective

Beyond the towing operation, Sandrine Berno Dos Santos launched a call for mobilization on Saturday. “We too use public transport and we find ourselves in the hassle experienced by users every day, particularly on the RER A. We want to create a collective of users to provide solutions and defend our public transport. »

The mayor of Poissy wants to unite on the issue of travel, a sign that the battle may only be beginning.

Contacted several times, Jean-Paul Jeandon did not respond to our requests. The Val-d’Oisian elected official seems to want to calm things down.

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.