unions warn about the state of SNCF Ouigo trains

© Europa Press News / Contributor

– The unions have listed numerous malfunctions in Ouigo trains.

A damning observation. The SNCF unions published a press release on January 6 on the state of the Ouigo trains. Launched in 2013, low-cost trains are experiencing a strong degradation for several years. “It has been more than two years since the condition of our trains has deteriorated significantly, making our working conditions worse in the process”specify the unions. They qualify the trains “wrecks” suffering from “equipment failures, delays, cockroaches and bedbugs”relays La Dépêche. There are many dysfunctions et endanger both passenger safety and quality of service. Condemned toilets, frequent breakdowns and chronic delays add to hygiene problems.

According to the CGT, Unsa and SUD-Rail, the TGV Ouigo would have “accumulated more incidents (…) and deletions than over the last two years, all axes combined”. The Ouigo model is now showing its limits. The unions denounce a “low cost model running out of steam. The more time passes, the more the trains roll and the less reliable they become.. Savings that weaken the system. “The climax of this situation was reached at the end of November with seven Ouigo trains simultaneously unavailable”they add in their press release.

Threat of strike

The unions are demanding a repair of the wagons as well as the removal of the trains at the end of the day in the event of certain material malfunctions or even an exceptional bonus for staff working in the Ouigos. A rally was announced on January 10 in front of the Gare de Lyon in Paris. The unions are threatening to strike.

The management of SNCF Voyageurs assured BFMTV that “no risk has ever been or is taken” concerning the safety of travelers. “The Ouigo trains are benefiting from a major renewal (the most significant since its launch in 2013), which is starting to be deployed at the start of the year, with a fleet that is both larger and more modern”.