Public transport: how free for the disabled in Montpellier ?

Julie Frêche, during a press conference on free transport. D.R. – Christophe RUIZ

Free since December 21 for residents of the Montpellier Metropolis, public transport remains difficult to access for people with reduced mobility. Answers from Julie Frêche, vice-president in charge of active mobility and transport.
 

Having become free for all residents of the Metropolis on December 21, public transport remains difficult to access for people with reduced mobility. However, Julie Frêcbe welcomes the accessibility statistics. "Our public vehicles are almost all accessible, she welcomes, citing the figures. We have 86 tram trains and 132 vehicles for the 40 bus lines, all of which are fully accessible, as well as 80% of these vehicles. Nevertheless, there are always improvements to be made, such as reducing the access slope, reduced during the beautification work of the tram station, present on the Place de la Comédie.& quot;

Julie Frêche also places emphasis on access to stops, which are subject to precise standards, many of which still require work to be fully accessible. "Certain road issues are important for the accessibility of wheelchairs, in particular to ensure the 2 meters of distance, necessary in front of the removal of a wheelchair, and ensure its ability to turn." She cites in particular the 77 new bus trains currently on order, for which access to double doors has been studied, as well as the two future tram lines, the 5 and the extension of the 1, which have all been the subject of a study concerning the accessibility of their stopping points.

Some "improvements to be made" on accessibility

For this, an independent study on the modifications to be made was produced last September. It is currently being reread and will soon be presented to the liaison committee working with the Metropolis, which brings together 80 associations working on universal accessibility. The necessary work will be carried out in 2024.

Nevertheless, free public transport is not intended for all disabled people. In the absence of a public service, disabled people of all kinds (motor, visual, or audible) who use transport provided by the Gihp association are not concerned.

Also read: VIDEO. "Nothing stops an idea whose time has come" : Michaël Delafosse honors his promise of free access to Montpellier residents

"The free service only concerns our company operating the transport service, Tam in this case" specifies Julie Frêche. She therefore assures that it is the Gihp association which must practice this free service if it wishes. "The Metropolis paid in 2023 a subsidy of 1,370,000 € to this association. It will be similar next year."

Selective free public transport

No reason for the Gihp to practice such free transport, billed by default at 3 € per unit (or more expensive for night transport) to its 1,143 beneficiaries, who are not all severely disabled, like the ;assures Julie Frêche, and some of whom suffer from low purchasing power, who would happily grant themselves free service. Please note that for the proper functioning of this association, transport must be planned several days in advance, which does not encourage spontaneity among users.

"Our objective is obviously to create a public service dedicated to the disabled", assures Julie Frêche. "It's a technical discussion, in particular to know who will operate this service, which we are obviously ready to open." A laudable intention, but nevertheless late, knowing that the Gihp has been operating since the early 1960s, when it was created, and is considered a "public service" of transport for the disabled in the Metropolis for around forty years.

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