The hassles and delays continue on the metro network of the Lille metropolis. A new automatic piloting system is being deployed with a view to doubling the number of trains. Victims of numerous disruptions, users hoped for compensation. They will have nothing.
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This has been a daily struggle for six months. Delays, traffic interruptions… Public transport users in the European Metropolis of Lille are at their wits’ end. Particularly affected are subscribers who pay but only benefit from a very significantly degraded service.
To calm the anger, one of their spokespersons is demanding financial compensation: “this will allow users to say that the MEL is still supportive, that it is aware that they are suffering from this situation.” explains Mattéo Ferrux, president of the travel information and user defense association. “Today, we no longer want excuses, but actions“.
Users who received a refusal yesterday. In a written response, the European Metropolis of Lille rejects the idea of compensation: “Compensation is in principle the responsibility of the operator when the service is not provided. But here it is rendered even if it is rendered with certain interruptions which we deeply regret“. Not really enough to reassure neglected users: they will mobilize this Friday, December 20, 2024 to protest in front of the MEL headquarters.
And if anger is brewing, it is because the director of Ilévia-Kéolis, Franck Garçon, had also rejected any form of compensation shortly before. Disillusioned response from Matteo Ferrux on his X account to denounce a “contempt” : “Come out of your cave and quickly”
In the metropolis of Lille too, the subject is stirring debates. The group “Social and solidarity metropolis“led by Audrey Linkenheld was moved by this in a press release. The president of MDS regrets that “the the only compensation offered to date by Ilévia consists of free V’Lille subscriptions usually worth 27 euros“. Insufficient compensation in the eyes of Audrey Linkenheld: “After vain promises from the concessionaire of a return to normal first for All Saints’ Day then for the end-of-year holidays, it is clear that the General Director of Kéolis obscures the reality that is visible every day and still refuses everything development and compensation”.
The MDS group demands compensation: “We specifically offer a reduction in the subscriber rate, of around 10 to 17 euros, for a minimum of one month.“.
When will there be a return to normal on the two metro lines? To this question, the MEL’s response remains evasive: “Commissioning is a critical phase for all complex systems, because it is the culmination of the design, construction and training phases. The metropolis even seems to be clearing itself: “It is not uncommon for, despite successful preparation, or a technically proven system, commissioning to be subject to incidents or inconveniences which take more or less time to be mitigated or corrected.”
“Hey or respect?” : the anger of Lille metro users.
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© FTV
The cause of the disruptions: the commissioning of a new automatic piloting system, an essential prerequisite for the deployment of the 52-meter trainsets. An old sea serpent of the Lille metro, this deployment should make it possible to double the transport capacity of line 1. It is supposed to be effective in February 2026.
The daily lives of Ilévia users are peppered with incidents. This Tuesday, December 18, they once again found themselves stuck in a train. Result: an hour of waiting. The day before, a major incident occurred on line 1 blocking traffic. Results: 4 hours of waiting. However, the metropolis minimizes the situation: “Apart from the incident on Tuesday morning, the number of interruptions and their impact on operations and therefore on users have tended to reduce over the last few weeks.”
In response, the MEL decided to extend the probationary period on automatic piloting at Ilévia, the operator, and at Alstom, the company in charge of the work. Initially planned for one month, it will be extended until January 6, 2025. The objective for the MEL is to “confirm that the new autopilot system is sufficiently mature for its final entry into service”.
Taking the metro risks remaining full of uncertainties for a few more months in the metropolis. You will have to be patient and learn to keep your back rounded.
