towards targeted free admission in Avignon?
Last June and July, the Greater Avignon public transport network experimented with free transport. An ephemeral measure to reduce temporary pollution peaks. From there to imagining permanent free access to the Orizo network, there is only one step that the executive of the agglomeration community does not have – yet? – the franchisor’s intention.
” I am not in favor of free “, answers Joël Guin, president (DVD) of Grand Avignon (Coga), who prefers to speak of “ free access “. A subject briefly put back on the table, Monday evening, in community council on the occasion of the 2021 annual report of the delegate. The latest for TCRA (Transdev group) since July, Coga has taken over the management of the network via Tcelys, a local public company, despite the abstention of the far right.
In response to the increase in the rate of fraud observed, “ fruits of precariousness “, according to Mouloud Rezouali, the elected (various ecologists) of Avignon returns” dependent on free access to our territory “. And to take the example of Dunkirk, which set up free admission 4 years ago in its agglomeration of 17 municipalities: “ Attendance has jumped by 68%, this has revitalized the city center and reduced incivility, it is a good measure for ecology, the economy and social ties “. Closer to home, in the Pays d’Aubagne, free admission, activated in 2009, has increased attendance from 1.9 million to 6.5 million passengers per year.
During the 2020 municipal elections in Avignon, Jean-Pierre Cervantes, head of the EELV list, defended this idea by noting that the loss of ticketing revenue (around 5 million euros) could be compensated by savings on the management of this ticketing and the disappearance of means of combating fraud. In a session on Monday, Fabrice Martinez-Tocabens, deputy (DVG) to the mayor of Avignon in charge of mobility, evokes ” a free targeted one, depending on the hours, or aimed at young people “. A point on which Joël Guin joins him. Without yet validating the idea, the president of Coga is not ” not against rates adapted for people in a fragile situation ” but also ” students or retirees “, not closing the door to this free targeted. Julien De Benito, deputy (PCF) in Avignon, also evokes the idea ” free on weekends “but knows well that” it’s complicated to go free until you’ve moved upmarket on the network » and already projects that « free will emerge very strongly on the next mandate “.
Joël Guin also highlights » heavy investments to green the fleet by Orizo, deemed to have higher priority than a complete free one. During the meeting, the president of Coga made an appointment » at the end of the year » for an initial assessment of the new delegate, including « trends are encouraged “. Because last May, Coga decided to revise its prices downwards, including a halving of its subscriptions, free relay shuttles or the book of 10 tickets from 12.5 to 10 euros. ” Since July, subscriptions for the general public and young people have jumped by more than 50% and that for seniors by +72% “, welcomes Joël Guin. These reductions have been estimated at 660,000 euros per year. Remember that the choice to change delegates by leaving the private sector to return to more direct management should save 2 million euros per year.