The bonus of 100 euros for motorists who start carpooling will be renewed in 2024 but only for short journeys, an AFP journalist learned on Wednesday December 13 from the Ministry of Ecological Transition. Launched at the start of 2023, as part of a 150 million euro plan to push this still very minority practice, the 2024 bonus will target more journeys to work and leisure.
The government must take stock this week of this measure launched at the start of 2023, as part of a 150 million euro plan. “In 2024, the Green Fund carpooling measure is renewed in order to continue to support new projects in favor of carpooling throughout the territory,” indicated the Minister of Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu.
The ministry also confirmed the end of the long-distance bonus and reserve it for “daily journeys”. Until recently, carpooling represented 3% of long-distance journeys. But its daily practice remains a drop in the bucket in transport (0.01% according to the Blablacar platform).
The platforms record a few tens of thousands of journeys per day on average (declared, because many journeys are also informal), for 100 million journeys made by car daily in France. Around 10 French metropolises, more than eight out of 10 drivers drive alone in their car between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., according to a study by highway manager Vinci.
The very ambitious objective of the “carpooling plan” is to ultimately achieve three million daily journeys, which would allow France to avoid 1% of its greenhouse gas emissions. “Five years ago, this public policy simply did not exist,” recalled Christophe Béchu. The Green Fund, which integrates this carpooling plan, has made it possible to offer 300 communities “financial support allowing pioneering territories to strengthen their action in this area or even for some to fully take up this issue”.
“The potential of this lever is still far from being fully exploited,” underlined the minister. “This solution is very relevant in responding to mobility challenges, particularly in peri-urban areas or in rural areas where density does not always allow the deployment of public transport.”…