This is a large-scale project launched in Ile de France which consists of developing 680 kilometers of cycle paths in order to facilitate the daily travel of Ile-de-France residents. There will be a total of 9 lines which must be put into service by 2030. We will see in this article the challenges of such a project as well as the stakeholders and the progress of the construction site.
What is the RER V?
Connect your home located in one of the cities of Greater Paris to the center of Paris using a single cycle path? This will now be possible thanks to the RER V project .
Nine routes have been designed by the Vélo Ile de France collective, of which here is the map:
The objective of the RER V is clear: to offer the bicycle as an alternative to public transport and cars . The democratization of the electric bike is also perfectly in line with the establishment of this project because it makes it possible to cover greater distances, with a minimum of effort.
Safety, comfort and speed
The major problem with the existing network of cycle paths is its discontinuity. With the RER V, it will be essential to offer routes on which users feel safe throughout their journey . Currently, it is rather sections of cycle paths interspersed with roads that represent a real danger.
The cities will have specifications to respect so that users can drive as serenely as possible. With markings on the ground for the different axes, as well as a color code for each RER cycle line, everything has been done to facilitate access to these protected cycle paths.
680 kilometers of secure tracks
The current Covid-19 pandemic is accelerating lifestyle changes even further. If some users have already abandoned their car to reach their place of work, the RER V lines will allow to push for more eco-mobility such as the electric bicycle .
The Paris City Hall has also begun to perpetuate the coronapists who emerged after the first confinement. A budget of 80 million euros for the city of Paris which goes in the direction of the RER Vélo lines.
Just like public transport in the Paris region, these new cycle paths each have their own color to be easily identifiable. Cyclists can thus spot and follow them without too much effort. The aim is to facilitate the circulation of two-wheelers as well as possible and to make traffic more fluid in Ile de France.
How is the project financed?
Making the bicycle the mode of everyday transport is the ambition of the Île-de-France Region. This year, the region's objective is to aim for 2 million daily bicycle trips.
This ambitious project is being pushed by the Île-de-France Region. The region thus provides financial assistance amounting to up to 60% of the total budget to encourage local authorities to carry out the work necessary for the development of this regional express bicycle network.
Supported by the Île-de-France region
In the midst of a health crisis, the Region is giving a boost and releasing a budget of 500 million to finance this major project. If the sum may seem enormous, it only represents approximately 2% of the total amount of the Grand Paris Express budget .
This investment, following the deconfinement, makes it possible to establish the definitive network of the RER V and to make cycling a means of mass transport in Île-de-France.
When will we be able to ride on these cycle paths?
Of the 9 lines planned, 5 are already in the process of being created with work starting at the end of 2020:
- Line A1 (Paris - La Défense - Cergy-Pontoise)
- Line A2 (Paris - Marne-la-Vallée)
- Line B3 (Paris - Massy - Saclay - Pleasure)
- Line D1 (Paris - Saint-Denis - Le Mesnil-Aubry)
- Line D2 (Paris - Choisy-le-Roi - Corbeil-Essonnes)
Phase 1 with the objective of the Paris 2024 Olympics
These five priorities, which have already received an envelope of 300 million euros, should be ready by 2024 for the Paris Olympic Games. “ We have to set ourselves the ambition to go quickly for this to happen. The objective is that for the 2024 Olympic Games , half will already be achieved, declares Vincent Degove, associative coordinator of the RER V ”.
A second phase planned for 2030
In total, nine entirely cycle lanes must be put into service by 2030, i.e. 680 kilometers of track , to connect the whole of Île-de-France and provide cyclists with safe spaces.
Currently, cycling represents only about 3% of daily trips in Île-de-France. The best way to develop the use of bicycles in Île-de-France is to solve the problem of the discontinuity of cycle routes.
If cyclists feel safe throughout their journey and journey times are faster, there is no doubt that Ile-de-France residents will choose the electric bike to get around and get to work.
Conclusion
Most daily trips in Ile de France are made over short distances. So the potential for the development of cycling is considerable for the region. It promotes social distancing while having beneficial effects on health and the environment.
Faced with the need for Paris to reduce its CO2 emissions, this secure cycle circuit also makes it possible to lighten our roads of cumbersome cars. So, are you ready to choose the bike for your daily trips to the capital?
