A barb that will not go unanswered. After the attack by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who launched on TMC on Wednesday that transport “will not be ready” for the Paris Olympics, the Ministry of Transport wanted to reassure everyone this Thursday, during a press point organized urgently. Clément Beaune’s office explained that there was “at this stage”, “no particular concern” to have regarding public transport during this period. And to ensure that “the transport plans have been arbitrated and passed to the strategic mobility committee”. The same one which brings together once a month the Ministry of Transport, “represented by Clément Beaune”, that of Sports, “represented by Amélie Oudéa-Castéra”, the Region, “represented by Valérie Pécresse”, and the City of Paris , “never represented by Anne Hidalgo”. And Bam.
So many “technical and strategic meetings” during which “important decisions are taken”, recalls the ministry, which regretted the “complete disinterest of the mayor on this question”. And if work of reflection is still “in progress” on certain points, notably around the opening ceremony for example, “there is no particular concern” to have, while a new meeting of the committee strategic plan is “planned for mid-December” and “soon a national defense committee”. “The schedule is tense, but held,” insisted the cabinet of Clément Beaune, who himself had deplored that Anne Hidalgo “does not participate in work meetings but has an opinion for others”.
Concerning the work in public transport, the Ministry of Transport stated that it “holds a very precise point in terms of infrastructure, particularly on line 14”. “We monitor the construction sites every six weeks,” he continued. As for the RER E, to which the mayor of Paris refers, “it will be ready”, we are promised. Same story from Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), which indicates that the service to La Défense and Nanterre “has been planned in the transport plans by the RER A lines and line L”, but also by the RER E, which even at reduced frequency, will be a “plus”. A means of transport which would be “not necessary for the Olympics”, according to IDFM, but above all “a technological showcase with the new RER NG”.
For the organizing authority for Ile-de-France transport, “transport will be there for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games”, while “the IOC underlined the very good level of preparation during its last visit to Paris”. “All transport plans have been validated by Paris 2024 and the IOC” and even “the alternative plans are being validated and in line with the calendar”, insists IDFM. As for the work at Porte Maillot, they have certainly “been delayed” but “will be completed”. “We are not worried, just vigilant,” finally concluded the Ministry of Transport, which announced that a “very important” communication strategy will be launched from January. This will detail in particular the list of closed metro stations, all traffic restrictions, as well as the places and times to avoid depending on the major events of the event.