Paris metro stations give passengers umbrellas in rainy weather

Passengers exiting 13 Paris metro stations are being offered umbrellas in rainy weather, as part of a new initiative launched by network provider RATP.

The experiment is being trialled at Opéra and Gambetta metro stations, as well as 11 stations on line 14, with the exception of Châtelet and Bercy.

Director of Services at RATP, Salima Hammou, told France 3: “We noticed that when it’s raining passengers tend to wait in the station before leaving, and we want to accompany them on their whole journey, including at station exits.”

When rainy weather starts, station staff are notified that they can hand out umbrellas in exchange for a €5 deposit.

Passengers can return a loaned umbrella to any station participating in the scheme when they have finished using it, and get their deposit back.

Since the start of the experiment on September 1, 111 umbrellas have been given to passengers. Due to the popularity of the offer, RATP now plans to offer free umbrellas throughout its network in the French capital.

Ms Hammou said: “This offer is part of our work, which aims to provide services that are useful for passengers.”

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