Royal attack on rail fare increase

ENVIRONMENT minister Ségolène Royal has condemned the New Year’s Eve increase in the cost of rail tickets.

The 2.6% rise in the cost of train travel, announced on December 26, sent “a very bad signal” she said on the Grand Jury show on LCI yesterday.

And she said: “I am going to reform by decree how the State controls the price of public transport including the train,” adding, “I want the train remains a mass transportation tool”.

Demanding transparency on prices and consultation with rail users, Ms Royal said: “I would like to say to public companies that think because they are a monopoly they can … increase their revenues by increasing prices, this is not possible."

Ms Royal’s opinion seems to contradict those of her own ministry, which said in a statement when the rail fare increases were announced, that the increases were "necessary to improve the quality of passenger service."

The ministry added that SNCF, “will now be able to continue investing in terms maintenance, priority, and investment on equipment, information systems and customer relations”.

Photo: Screengrab / LCI