Page 12 - Monaco Economy 130-2
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          A train every quarter of an hour for Christmas?                                               By Milena Radoman



          According to the Southern Region, the frequency of TER trains between Nice and Monaco is to be
          increased to every fifteen minutes from December 15, 2024.




































          While a significant improvement in rail traffic   modal shift from vehicles to regional trains is   for commuters between Nice and Monaco”
          was expected from June 2025 with the arrival   the key to managing our cross-border traffic,   are calling for: “We're all experiencing the
          of the new operator Transdev, ending the SNCF   reminds us.              same thing. The platforms are packed, we
          monopoly on regional trains, the situation   Monaco station, the third largest in the   have to elbow our way onto the train if we're
          should improve for users from the end of   southern region, set a record for passenger   lucky enough to get on! Morning and evening!”
          2024. At least, that's what Jean-Pierre Serrus,   numbers in 2023, with 7.8 million passengers,   describe the petitioners, taking the example
          Vice-President in charge of transport and   up 4% at the peak in 2019, before the Covid-19   of the “tiny 6.09 p.m. train, where people are
          sustainable mobility in the Southern Region   pandemic. Monaco station accounted for 8%   crammed in, one on top of the other, not to
          is promising, with a TER train every fifteen   of the regional traffic recorded in 2022 (10.3%   mention those who feel unwell and those
          minutes (compared with one every half-hour   in 2019), with 92 TER trains passing through   who have to wait on the platform for the next
          at present). “These are not promises, they are   each day. “With the announcement of a train   train...”. Something else that infuriates us: “We
          commitments. Just judge the results. There is   every quarter of an hour from December 2024,   pay a subscription that increases every year
          a rendez-vous for users to join us on December   Monaco station is preparing for an increase   for a service that is less than mediocre. Many
          15,” he told France Bleu Azur in mid-March.   in passenger numbers. An investment of ten   passengers can't even get onto the trains, and
          “The fifteen-minute scheduling throughout   million euros is planned between now and 2030   they arrive late for work. For this very
          the day, weekdays and weekends, (from 6   to accommodate them better, and this will go   reason employers are finding it increasingly
          a.m to 9.30 p.m) on the Cannes-Menton route   mainly towards the renewal of the lifts and   difficult to find staff...”.
          will be effective from December 15, 2024.   escalators,” explains Fabrice Morenon, General   The Monegasque Government has also
          This new service coincides with the start   Manager of SNCF Hubs & Connexions, who is   clearly expressed its dissatisfaction with the
          of operations under the new public service   in charge of managing the Monte-Carlo station.   SNCF. Minister of State Pierre Dartout sent
          contract with SNCF Sud Azur”, explains the                               an official letter “calling a spade a spade”.
          Région Sud. This is good news for both users   A Petition Denouncing Transport Conditions  “The service provided is not worth what we
          and the Monegasque government, de facto                                  are paying. So we have stopped paying”, says
          strengthening the mobility plan.    If we hope to reach the target of 11.5 million   Céline Caron Dagioni, referring to current
                                              passengers a year, and get motorists to   technical discussions with the Region and
          The TER, the Only Solution          abandon their cars in favour of the TER, there is   SNCF voyageurs.
          “The only real solution that is effective and   no choice but to increase the frequency of TER
          carbon-free, and that attracts a significant   trains. That's what the thousand or so users   Double the Offer with Transdev
          number of passengers, is the TER. Let's face   who have signed the petition demanding “that   “We had the worst network in France with an
          it,” Céline Caron-Dagioni, who believes that a   the SNCF come up with concrete solutions   80% punctuality rate, 100 days of strikes a

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