Wikipedia

Transportation during the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics

Transportation during the 2024 Summer Olympics and 2024 Summer Paralympics played a critical part in getting spectators and athletes to competition venues. Over €500 million had been invested in transport improvements for the Games.

Background

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In the Paris region, public transport is managed by Île-de-France Mobilités, which coordinates the contracts with transport companies such as RATP (the operator of the Paris Metro and some Réseau Express Régional (RER) lines) and SNCF (the French national railway operator). It became an official partner of the games in June 2022 in order to facilitate the organization of transport.[1][2]

The majority of event sites were in the Paris area: 25 sites (13 in Paris and 12 in the suburbs) with 50 sessions per day for the Olympic Games and 17 sites (10 in Paris and 7 in the suburbs) with 18 sessions per day for the Paralympic Games, for 767 and 261 sessions respectively, including the two opening and closing ceremonies. These events involved 500,000 spectators per day for the Olympic Games and 300,000 for the Paralympic Games. [3]

A February 2023 fact-finding mission of the National Assembly reported that "France's success in organising the Games will be judged in particular by its ability to manage the movement of people", with no fewer than 600,000 spectators, 35% of whom come from abroad, and 200,000 accredited persons will have to be transported daily.[4] Nonetheless, the Strategic Mobility Committee did not meet for the first time until December 2022, and a national mobility coordinator for the Olympic Games, Florent Bardon, was not appointed until 8 December.[5]

The Covid-19 pandemic delayed work on construction sites and disrupted the transport networks, forcing a halt in recruitment, numerous resignations and increased absenteeism, which led to a significant deterioration in service by the end of the summer of 2022, with a quarter of the bus services not running. The effects persisted into 2024, and by the spring nearly 10% of the RATP bus network services were not running, and only 84% of the RER C trains were on time, mainly due to the shortage of drivers at SNCF despite the resumption of driver training. In December 2023, five metro lines (13, 6, 3, 2 and 8) still had regularity below 90%, far below the previous standard of most lines.[6]

Preparations

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To meet the increased numbers of passengers on the various lines compared to a normal summer, the frequency and hours of service for public transport was increased by an average of 15%.[7][8] This was concentrated in the heart of the city and at its maximum for the lines serving Olympic sites such as the RER B and RER D, tramway line T11 and Paris Métro Line 14, augmented by shuttle buses. During the Games, Visitors to Paris paid higher public transport fares during the Games, €4 instead of the previous €2.15 price to pay for this increased level of service.[7][8]

The objective of the Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games was to allow 100% of spectators to reach the Olympic and Paralympic sites by public transport.[9] A mobile application was developed to facilitate spectator travel by offering a route calculator that can adapt to hazards.[9] To assist travellers, 5,000 agents, identifiable by purple vests,[10] were deployed in the stations and at the bus stops, where special signage was affixed.[9] Venues of the Games were indicated on line maps on trains and in stations in distinctive pink.[11]

Unlike previous years, no service interruptions related to engineering or improvement works were scheduled in the summer of 2024. Construction work were "frozen" on the network from July until the end of September.[10] Consequently, there were numerous disruptions to services in 2023 and the first half of 2024, especially on line 14 with significant traffic interruptions over several weekends and during school holidays.[12][13]

Security

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Security for the Paris region transport network was coordinated by the Paris Police Prefecture,[14] which became solely responsible for security and public order in the Île-de-France region under the Olympic law of 19 May 2023. This law broadened the scope of video surveillance images visible to SNCF and RATP agents in the Paris region transport security coordination centre.[15]

Commencing in the summer of 2022, transport security coordination was carried out from the Operational Security Command Center (CCOS), which brought together all stakeholders in shared premises located at the Paris Police Prefecture headquarters. The CCOS was connected to 101,000 video surveillance cameras located throughout the various transport networks. During the Olympic Games, patrols increased from 125 to 700 per day, with the number of transport police officers increased from 1,100 to 1,300.[16] In addition to the 3,000 permanent security agents, another 5,000 temporary agents and more than 50 canine explosives detection units were deployed on the transport network to intervene when abandoned objects were discovered.[14]

New infrastructure

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Saint-Denis–Pleyel station opened in June 2024 before the Olympic Games

Public transport

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Several major public transport projects opened prior to the Games, with extensions of existing Paris Métro and RER lines as well as new tram lines. Projects included:

Metro and RER lines were also upgraded and improved, with new trains (including the MP 14 and RER NG) and Line 4 was converted to fully automated operation.[27] Despite promises prior to the Games, public transport was not free.[28] Visitors to Paris paid higher public transport fares during the Games, €4 instead of the previous €2.15 price. This paid for the increased frequency and hours of service for public transport during the Games, with an average increase of 15% in services.[7][8] Several metro stations were closed during the Games.[7]

Some transport projects such as Line 15 of the Metro and CDG Express (an express link to Charles de Gaulle Airport) were not completed in time for the Games – with opening dates of 2025 and 2027 respectively.[29]

Walking and cycling

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Segregated cycle lane on the Rue de Rivoli

In the last 20 years, substantial investment has been made to walking and cycling in Paris, including pedestrianisation of public spaces (such as Place de la République), introduction of Vélib' (a bicycle sharing system) and cycle lanes.[30] For the Games, 60 kilometres (37 mi) of cycle lanes linked all venues to each other and 10,000 temporary bicycle racks were installed.[31]

Road network

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As with previous Olympic and Paralympic Games, the road network of Paris and the Île-de-France region had lanes of traffic reserved for accredited vehicles. 185 kilometres (115 mi) of lanes allowed guaranteed journey times between the Olympic Village, venues and other destinations (such as Main Press Centre at Palais des congrès de Paris).[32] Toyota supplied organisers with a fleet of vehicles, including the hydrogen fuel-cell powered Mirai.[33]

Airports

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Paris is served by two large international airports – Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport. Both airports are connected to the Paris public transport network, with the opening of the extension of Line 14 to Orly Airport just prior to the Games. During the opening ceremony, the airspace across northern France was closed.[34]

Accessibility

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In 2023, concerns were raised regarding accessibility for the Games.[35] Lobbying group APF France Handicap said that the Paris Métro was a "big black spot on the city's Paralympic legacy".[36] There were expectations 350,000 disabled fans would be visiting Paris.[37] The city's buses and tram network are fully accessible, and many RER & Transilien stations are accessible.[38] However the vast majority of Métro stations are not accessible to all.[39][40] The 20 stations of Line 14 (which first opened in 1998) are fully accessible, and extensions of lines since 1992 have included lifts.[41] At some venues, accessible shuttles were used to transport spectators to the venue from an accessible station.[8]

Prior to the Paralympic Games, Île-de-France regional president Valérie Pécresse announced a plan to make the Metro accessible – with Île-de-France Mobilités noting that this work would take around 20 years and cost between €15 and 20 billion.[42] International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons welcomed the commitment,[43] specifically mentioning it during his speech at the Paralympics closing ceremony.[44]

Disruption

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Main article: 2024 France railway arson attacks

On 26 July 2024, the railway network was disrupted by coordinated arson attacks.[45]

References

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  1. ^ "Île-de-France Mobilités, Official Partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games" (in French). France Mobilités. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Paris 2024 and Île-de France Mobilités announce their collaboration on the transport offer for the Olympic and Paralympic Games". Paris 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Le plan de transport d'Île-de-France Mobilités pour Paris 2024" (in French). Île-de-France France Mobilités. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  4. ^ Sarango, Emma. "Défaillances, retards, polémiques : l'épineuse question des transports pendant les JO de Paris" (in French). Radio France. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  5. ^ Burke, Patrick. "SNCF official Bardon takes key transport role for Paris 2024". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  6. ^ Cazi, Emeline; Fay, Sophie (20 February 2024). "Paris 2024: Will public transport be ready on time for the Olympics?". Le Monde. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Willsher, Kim (2024-05-06). "Paris authority slated for hiking cost of Métro and bus trips during Olympics". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  8. ^ a b c d "One hundred days to the Games: Transport plan ready". PR Newswire. Île-de-France Mobilités. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  9. ^ a b c "Le plan de transport d'Île-de-France Mobilités pour Paris 2024" (in French). Île-de France Mobilités. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  10. ^ a b Varoquier, Jila (18 July 2023). "Paris 2024 : pendant les JO, des trains plus fréquents et des « gilets violets » en Île-de-France". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  11. ^ Varoquier, Jila (24 April 2024). "JO Paris 2024 : le métro aussi passe au rose olympique". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  12. ^ Varoquier, Jila (28 July 2023). "La ligne 14 du métro totalement coupée jusqu'au 11 août inclus pour tester les nouveaux trains". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 7 August 2023..
  13. ^ Cazi, Emeline; Fay, Sophie (15 February 2024). "Paris 2024 : suspense pour savoir si la ligne 14, « la ligne de vie des Jeux », sera pleinement opérationnelle". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Comment Île-de-France Mobilités prépare les transports pour les Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Paris 2024?" (in French). Île-de France Mobilités. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  15. ^ Villeneuve, Pierre (15 May 2022). "Loi du 19 mai 2023: quels effets pour les collectivités territoriales?". La Gazette des Communes [fr] (in French). Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  16. ^ Hasse, Benoît (3 September 2023). "Sécurité dans les transports pendant Paris 2024: le centre de coordination paré pour les JO". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  17. ^ Lenhardt, Marjorie (2022-01-13). "Après 45 ans d'attente, la ligne 4 du métro arrive «enfin» à Bagneux !". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  18. ^ "Prolongement de la ligne 11 : le tunnelier inauguré, six nouvelles stations de métro en 2023". France 3 Paris Ile-de-France (in French). 20 September 2019. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  19. ^ "Focus on the extension of line 11" (Press release). RATP Group. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  20. ^ Varoquier, Jila (2022-04-15). "Grand Paris : le prolongement de la ligne 12 du métro à Aubervilliers entrera en service le 31 mai". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  21. ^ "Paris inaugurates Line 14 extension". International Railway Journal. 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  22. ^ a b Compagnon, Sébastian; Gairaud, Marie-Anne (2024-06-24). "Ligne 14 de Saint-Denis - Pleyel à l'aéroport d'Orly : « Ces nouvelles stations, c'est vraiment waouh ! »". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  23. ^ "GARE SAINT-DENIS PLEYEL - LE CŒUR DU GRAND PARIS EXPRESS" (PDF). Société du Grand Paris (in French). July 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-01-11. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  24. ^ "Grand Paris : un nouveau pont pour relier le quartier du Stade de France et la Plaine Saint-Denis". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2024-05-16. Archived from the original on 2024-05-16. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  25. ^ "Paris RER Line E reaches Nanterre". Railway Gazette International. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  26. ^ "Paris: Tram T3b extended and the new Alstom Citadis for the T1". Urban Transport Magazine. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  27. ^ "Ça bouge sur la ligne 4". RATP.fr. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  28. ^ "JO de Paris 2024 : avec le ticket de métro à 4 euros, "certains Franciliens risquent tout de même de se retrouver pénalisés"". France 3 Paris Ile-de-France (in French). 2023-11-28. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  29. ^ "Grand Paris : le CDG Express encore repoussé à... début 2027". La Tribune (in French). 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  30. ^ Gache, Juliette (2024-07-19). "Paris Is Becoming a Cycling City, for Better or Worse". Condé Nast Traveler. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  31. ^ "60 km of bike lanes to link all Olympic and Paralympic venues". www.paris.fr. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  32. ^ "Voies olympiques et paralympiques réservées : quels sont les axes concernés dans Paris ?". www.paris.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  33. ^ Team, Toyota Press (2023-09-21). "Toyota announces 500 fuel cell Mirai for the official fleet for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024". Toyota Media Site. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  34. ^ "Olympics 2024: Paris transport shuts down ahead of opening ceremony". The Independent. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  35. ^ "'Obstacle course' for the disabled: Can Paris transport be made accessible in time for the Olympics?". France 24. 2023-08-28. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  36. ^ "Paris 2024: Paralympics 'shame' in lack of Metro disabled access". BBC News. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  37. ^ Williams, Anne-Marie (2024-05-06). "Paris Promised the Olympics Would Be Accessible. The Clock Is Ticking". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
  38. ^ "Network accessibility | RATP". www.ratp.fr. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  39. ^ "No entry: Why is the Paris Metro still out of bounds for disabled people?". The Local France. 2017-12-06. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  40. ^ "As 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Approach, Paris's Metro Is Mostly Off-Limits to the Disabled". Bloomberg.com. 2018-10-26. Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  41. ^ "Le plan des stations de notre réseau, accessibles aux Personnes à Mobilité Réduite (PMR) | RATP". www.ratp.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  42. ^ Moreau Alvarez, Juliette (26 August 2024). ""Un métro pour tous": Valérie Pécresse veut rendre accessible le réseau parisien". BFMTV (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  43. ^ "Paris 2024: IPC President welcomes 'Metro for all'". International Paralympic Committee. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  44. ^ "Paris 2024: The IPC President's Closing Ceremony speech". International Paralympic Committee. 8 Sep 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  45. ^ Chutel, Lynsey (2024-07-26). "What We Know About the Attacks on France's Rail Network". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
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