Île-de-France Region signs charter to reduce commuting during peak hours

Île-de-France Region has introduced measures to help employees change their commuting schedules, in an effort reduce pressure on public transport. In a new charter, the regional authority and local businesses have pledged to encourage use of public transport outside of peak hours.

Roads in the region are congested and public transportation is saturated. One-Third of commutes takes more than 45 minutes, affecting individual wellbeing and productivity for businesses here.

This new commitment, made in partnership with Plaine Commune, RATP, SNCF, Ile-de-France Mobilités, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Seine-Saint Denis Department), as well as several private sector executives, hopes to facilitate reductions in public transport use during peak hours. This follows the launch of a collaborative service, Smartwork in June which has sought to reduce public transport use at peak hours.

Recent lockdown measures have revealed the centrality of companies, administrations and universities in public transportation use. As individuals’ working patterns have shifted, with many adopting teleworking and staggered hours, use of public transport networks have dramatically changed.

The Plaine Commune area is home to 190,000 employees, with almost 50% using public transportation to commute to work. 55,000 passengers use public transportation during the morning rush hours, with 21,000 arriving by train 21,000 and 14,000 via tram. Even a 5-10% reduction in this number of arrivals at critical times would significantly reduce overcrowding on these busy lines.

As a result, The Île-de-France Region, Île-de-France Mobilités, Plaine Commune and transport operators (RATP and SNCF) have voiced their committed to staggering commuting journeys. Joint efforts are being made to promote alternative modes of transport and encourage commuters to use public transport outside of peak hours.

The new charter is a voluntary commitment by each signatory to reduce the number of its employees using public transport between 8:00 am - 9:00 am by 10%.

To achieve this, signatories will:

• Stagger working hours during the day for employees
• Implement one / two days of telework per week
• Improve remote communication tools
• create internal coworking spaces
• Encourage carpooling and car sharing.
• Promote cycling practices

The Île-de-France Region will support this by:

• Accelerating the development of coworking spaces and telecentres
• Supporting the development of carpooling and cycling
• Contributing to the development of the company travel and commuting plan (or their associations) and administrations
• Encouraging local authorities to accelerate the development of Local Travel Plans;
• Supporting the implementation of strategic cycling plans

Read more about recent mobility management in Île-de-France here