Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo estimated on Wednesday evening that “we will not be ready” for public transportation in the capital during the 2024 Olympic Games, citing insufficient numbers and frequency of trains in certain areas.
During the Quotidien show on TMC, the socialist mayor mentioned “two things we will not be ready for,” which are “transportation” and “shelter for the homeless.”
“We are already facing difficulties in everyday transportation, and we are unable to catch up with the punctuality and comfort levels for Parisians,” stated Anne Hidalgo.
Invited to specify what would not be ready for the Olympics, the mayor mentioned the future RER E Porte Maillot station. “In fact, there are places where transportation will not be ready because there will not be enough trains and frequency,” she explained.
When asked if the responsibility lies with the Île-de-France Region, which has authority over the Parisian transportation, Anne Hidalgo responded, “the government too.” “But we are all working together, so I feel involved too,” she added.
The Minister delegate for Transportation, Clément Beaune, quickly reacted, expressing his disappointment that the Paris mayor prefers “to try to create a buzz on Quotidien” rather than “participate in the eight strategic committees on transportation to prepare for the Games.”
“We would have appreciated Anne Hidalgo’s presence at the mobility committees for the Olympic and Paralympic Games if she has proposals to make about transportation,” also taunted Valérie Pécresse, President of the Île-de-France Region, on X. “Thank you to her for solving the problem of traffic jams in Paris to allow bus circulation!” she further mocked.
The mobility in the Parisian region during the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a challenge for the authorities, as “we have committed to ensuring that 100% of the access to competition sites can be done via public transportation,” Clément Beaune emphasized at the end of October.
Nearly 15 million spectators and accredited individuals are expected to attend the events, with the vast majority taking place in Paris and in Île-de-France.
