Laurent Gérault offers buses and tramway free for weekends

Le candidat centriste, Laurent Gérault, avance l'idée de rendre les transports publics angevins gratuits pendant les weekends. M. Gérault fait le pari de la stimulation et non celui de la coercicion pour endiguer l'emprise de la voiture en ville. Si l'idée est séduisante, elle ne devrait cependant pas reposer sur une augmentation des tarifs en semaine. Mais est-ce faisable? 

Through the idea of Laurent Gérault, the centrist candidate to the Angers mayor office, a new way to limit the car traffic has surfaced. Rather than charged parking, or a free first hour of parking, the candidate offers to make the public tranports free in Angers during the weekends. The Union des démocrates indépendants' delegate in Angers bets on education rather than coercion. Logically, after the comparison between the inconveniences (waiting time) of buses and trawmay and their advantages (no fuel, no car park fares), those should opt for the Laurent Gérault's solution. But would they be rational?

The proposal would require an increase of the Sunday available buses and of their hourly service. But it looks to be uncertain that only incentive could lead inhabitants to abandon their car. Moreover, the cost of the no charged use of buses and tramway on Saturdays and Sundays will have to be financed. It is not sure that an increase of ticket cost will be accepted by the travellers during working days. 

Maybe such an idea should be transposed to the support of cycle use rather than car. That would lead the future city council to improve the safety of the lanes dedicated to bikes and also the facilities to park them. It would also be wise to reconsider the basis of the current system of loans of bikes and to open it much more largely to Angers inhabitants rather than the only students. Meanwhile, there is nothing better than a campaign to stimulate ideas.