Do Ouigo trains pose a danger to passengers? On Friday, three SNCF union organizations (CGT-Cheminots, Unsa-Ferroviaire and Sud-Rail) published a press release entitled “To put an end to the Ouigo “wrecks”. They denounce a “low-cost” model which uses the trains to the maximum of their capacities to the detriment of cleanliness, and even safety for passengers. The unions are calling on Ouigo agents to go on strike from Friday and for the entire weekend. “The announced mobilization rate is very high,” indicates the CGT-Cheminots.
“In the workshops, visit times are shortened and colleagues who are responsible for maintenance do not have time to detect a certain number of anomalies,” underlines the union.
This Tuesday, the SNCF responded to these accusations, ensuring that it had never neglected the safety of travelers. “The maintenance and upkeep rules (for Ouigo trains) are the same as for the entire TGV fleet,” indicated Tuesday during a press point the general director of Ouigo, Jérôme Laffon. “I consider it irresponsible to say that agents or customers are put in danger on security issues,” he insisted.
“We no longer have to endure delays, cockroaches and bedbugs! »
“Over the last three months, the Ouigo TGVs have accumulated more incidents (…) and train cancellations than in the last two years, on all routes combined,” the unions further denounce. “We no longer have to endure equipment failures, delays, cockroaches and bedbugs! », Write the union organizations which are demanding a new maintenance policy and an exceptional bonus for agents due to degraded working conditions.
According to Jérôme Laffon, there have been no reports of bed bugs in Ouigo trains in recent months, and the protocol for combating pests (often cockroaches) has been reinforced. Reports of the presence of pests concern “two trains per month, breaking everything,” he says. Ouigo has, however, decided to strengthen its cleaning protocol, particularly when trains are at the platform, with teams of six people compared to four previously.
Ouigo's business model consists of filling trains to maximum capacity and running them more than the TGV Inoui to offer low prices. An Ouigo train runs for around fifteen hours a day and covers 700,000 km over the year, or 40% more than the Inoui TGVs. Trains are cleaned at night to optimize their use during the day.
