STIF - Paris Ile de France Public Transport Authority

Ile-de-France is one of the 22 administrative "régions" of France 11 million inhabitants (18% of French population) 5 million jobs 28% of France GDP Ile de France 12,000 km² Paris city : 105 km²

Ile de France is composed by 8 "départements" and more than 1200 municipalities Paris is the central kernel, 3 départements make a first ring, 4 départements make the outer ring The region has about 1200 municipalities, possibly sharing transport competencies into “communauté d’agglomération” or “communauté de communes”. Most of the population of Ile de France live in the central urban area which covers a little more than the first ring

Public transport in Ile de France

Ile de France region has a very dense public transport network Public Transport Network  Metro Metro  16 lines  211 km / 381 stations  1300 million passengers/year  Heavy Rail Heavy Rail  1281 km / 444 stations  1000 million passengers/year  Bus  routes / km  stops  buses  1200 million passengers / year

Public Transport networks are operated by both public and private operators RATP - State owned transport company  metro network  tram lines (2 lines + one new in 2006)  2 heavy rail lines  4000 buses in the central area SNCF - State owned national railway company  Heavy rail lines OPTILE- association of 80 private bus operators  4000 buses in the outer ring  holding exclusive rights on their lines

OVERVIEW ON ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

From local initiatives to compulsory tasks  During the past 15 year or so STIF has been more and more comited to facilitate mobility needs of people with reduced mobility  STIF ’s actions ranged from investment planning, to funding implementations along with Région Ile de France (regional council) to consultation with focus groups.  In fact 3 periods of time can be distinguished : - from mid 90 ’ to the year 2000 actions on a voluntary basis (very little pattern) the first achievements prove to be encouraging and a need for planning rises - Since February 2005 the law “on Equal rights & opportunities, participation & citizenship of disabled people » is adopted the road map is precise and mandatory, full accessibility is at stake within 2015

Initiatives are encouraged Through the years awareness of accessibility issues in Public Transport is rising, hence :  All actors are willing to play a role : operators work on blueprints for projects, association representatives collaborate in finding best solutions, PTA (STIF) acts as the liaison and participate in the funding along with Région Ile de France (on a fifty-fifty basis covering the whole cost)  Little by little the administrative and financial process is taking place, - recomandation guide lines are issued by STIF & Région IdF, - first accessible bus lines are achieved in 1998, the number is rapidly growing (6 lines in 2000, 16 lines in 2002,) due to the stimulation of municipalities by bus operator. - around 20% of train stations are accessible either because there are equipped or because platforms are street level, the new subway line (L14) is fully accessible.

…. But in spite of the good will :  Emphasis has been put on motorly impaired people as as opposed to other handicaps  Implementation of technical solutions are not always consistent : - bus platforms are worked on but not all busses doing the service on the line have ramps not to speak about the way to the bus stop still poorly designed -train stations are equipped with lifts but boarding he train remains difficult not to say impossible...  - initiative remain by and large in the hands of operators or municipalities (responsible for road and curb work), STIF stands in the role of providing the funds along with Région IdF

Mobility needs of people with reduced mobility makes its way in the agenda The year 2000 sees more concrete implementations  A network of accessible bus lines emerges ( 29 lines and wheelchair users in 2004 in Paris and close suburbs RATP network. More train stations are planned on a regular basis to be equipped with lifts  Due to a law on solidarity and urban planning (Dec 2000) which results in a new board of direction gathering politicians from the Region & the Départements (8 counties), STIF puts accessibility high on the agenda and Région IdF backs up with a greater budget.  As a result, accessibility policy relies on 3 pillars: - Planning - consistency of actions - democracy encouraged at the local level with on going consultation with the disabled population

Mobility needs of people with reduced mobility makes its way up in the agenda  As of planning accessibility actions, it unfolded into : - a “Reference Railway Network” selected 256/415 stations as a priority with emphasis on RER A, B, E (busiest lines) - the Urban Mobility plan highlighting a trunk network of bus lines with high quality of service including accessibility and upraising the same quality of service of 150 major interchanges  Consistency is to be achieved thru : - close integration of both planning - interaction of modes within interchanges is scrutinized in terms of accessibility to PRMs and public funding is depending on completion of accessibility improvements - studies and blueprints are viewed with a larger perspective, various forms of handicaps at a time, a holistic approach ( tackling platform+vehicule and so on..) - all stakeholders are part of any project (operators, disabled users, municipalities or local governments, PTA and Region )

 Finally new complementary services are designed to enlarge the user’s experience, mainly : - Infomobi : information call center dedicated to PRM’s (2003) - Reorganization of door to door services : 1 call center per Département acting as dispatcher and operator (PAM in Paris 2003, FILIVAL in Val de Marne 2005) with high quality of service and close interaction with the client.  Ongoing consultation to enhance democratic process The local representatives of the disabled are consulted at all stages of the projects from assessment to solution and design of equipment So far so good ?…. Well, not so

SINCE 2005 A major change in the legal environment due to 2 laws coming into force  “ Loi de décentralisation ” gives a new status to STIF : state government is retrieving and local governments are taking over (Region an Départements) STIF inherits new missions among which school services (including the one for disabled students), and demand responsive services  The law on Equal rights & opportunities, participation & citizenship of disabled people » is adopted after a first general law passed in 1975 and never fully put into force. The goal is to accelerate at any rate the path towards accessibility of PT in France. - full accessibility is at stake within 2015, - the road map is precise and mandatory.

SINCE 2005… The new legal environment enhances STIF responsibilities towards PRMs and gives a framewok for action  New missions include funding of school services - notably for around 5000 disabled students attending elementary and secondary schools and 150 disabled students attending university- and organization of demand responsive services  More specifically the law on Equal rights makes it compulsory to fulfill the disabled people Right for Transport, The framework is:  Enlarged vision of disability including all people with reduced mobility ( of course elderly people are taken into account)  Holistic approach of the chain of transport (every stages of the journey must be accessible)  Every mode of transport and all the services should fulfill accessibility requirements, new vehicles must be accessible  The role of association of disabled representatives is once more emphasized. Not only is the consultation encouraged but it is made mandatory in some cases through ad hoc commissions for accessibility and security matters at local level

A major change in the legal environment ….  The road map is explicit:  The Ile de France PT network must comply with accessibility within 10 years  A master plan of accessibility is to be drawn within 3 years under PTA responsibility (covering the entire network mode after mode and all services included (information etc …)  In case of impossibility agreed upon by the ad hoc commissions gathering disabled people, it is the responsibility of STIF to organize and finance substitute services for any person with reduced mobility the cost for the user is the same as for PT network  A specific public body will be in charge of complaints about the restraints to the Right of transport  Any public funding in PT is depending on compliance with accessibility

As a conclusion  Accessibilty to PRMs is a now a priority on STIF’s agenda  STIF gets full responsibility for complying with the law, its missions are enlarged it becomes the leader in planning the actions and funding  Consistency and efficiency of the various services to PRM’s and integration within PT network are a real challenge