The president of the region, Valérie Pécresse, promised this Thursday to guarantee moderate price increases for the Navigo pass for the next eight years, up to inflation +1% maximum, following a board of directors of Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), the transport organizing authority.
“Basically, we undertake not to increase the Navigo by more than two euros per month each year,” announced the regional president. In 2024, the Navigo pass will increase by 2.6%, at the level of inflation, or 2.20 euros more per month. In 2023, the increase reached 12%, or 8.90 euros.
An agreement with the government
This “price shield” as Valérie Pécresse called it was made possible by the financing protocol signed at the end of September by the boss of Ile-de-France transport with the government. This guarantees transport financing until 2031 thanks to an increase in the mobility payment paid by companies with more than 11 employees in the inner suburbs and the tourist tax, paid by tourists. This agreement was integrated into the draft Finance Law via a government amendment which has yet to be voted on by Parliament.
“I take this opportunity to tell all the deputies of Ile-de-France and the members of the finance committee of the National Assembly that I am counting on their spirit of responsibility. Spirit of responsibility that Madame Borne was able to demonstrate,” insisted Valérie Pécresse. Otherwise, “transport in the Ile-de-France region will go through the most serious crisis in their history” a few months before the Olympic Games, said the regional president.
An agreement to automate RER B and D
The IDFM board of directors also approved the increase in contributions from local authorities (departments and region) up to inflation +2% until 2028 then up to inflation until 2031. Only the City of Paris opposed it, without its vote having any impact on the final result.
This board of directors meeting was also the occasion for the signing of a protocol between IDFM, SNCF, RATP and the State for the financing of NExTEO, a new signaling and traffic control system for RER B and D.
This system, which amounts to virtual automation of these lines, must be implemented no later than 2031 in the tunnel between Châtelet and Gare du Nord shared by the two RERs, and in 2033 on all lines. This financing agreement concerns nearly a billion euros, 70% of which will be provided by the region.
It should make it possible to improve the punctuality and reliability of the RER B and D, used by 1.7 million people daily and considered to be the weak links in the Ile-de-France network.