Nevertheless Jean-François Carenco, prefect of Région Île-de-France and Paris is keen to keep panic at bay. I am absolutely convinced we have the most secure network in the world, he told journalists at a press briefing on November 17.
Prior to the attacks, SNCF (French Railways), which operates 6,200 trains daily across Île-de-France, already had 1,200 SUGE (railway police) officers plus 130 mediators deployed across its turf. Meanwhile RATP, which runs the metro, buses, trams, plus part of the RER commuter rail network, has 1,100 GPSR (Groupe de Protection et de Sécurisation des Réseaux) officers in action. Last, but not least, bus and coach operator Optile has a 500-strong team of mediators on the job.
The most obvious, i.e. visual, impact on the network as a whole (rail, bus, metro, tram) this past week, apart from the prevailing sense of wariness among passengers, has been the doubling (to 600 agents) of uniformed security forces (e.g. mobile units, brigades, Garde républicaine) to boost the SUGE, GPSR, and mediators, together with the deployment of 1,000 soldiers (in rotation) to back up the 3,000 already patrolling stations, multimodal hubs, and another highly frequented sites.
UP TO THE TASK(S)
As part of the new contract signed between the STIF (regional transport authority) and SNCF earlier this November (for the period 2016-2019), an extra 300 agents were due to be deployed across the rail network in Ile-de-France, of which 250 will provide a presence and security in stations, and 50 will focus on general surveillance, explains Mr Pepy. However, given the current circumstances, we are going to start recruiting and training them earlier than previously planned, i.e. from now onwards. And since the training period lasts from five to six months, these extra forces will be operational by the summer of 2016, he adds.
RATP’s new contract with the STIF (2016-20) stipulates that human presence is to be stepped up in the field through an additional 200 agents, who will patrol the Noctilien night buses (47 lines running from 12.30am to 5.30am) and join the GPSR squad.
During the press conference, president Elizabeth Borne mentioned a special phone number for reporting ‘suspicious behaviour’. This rejoins ongoing demands for a dedicated call number that women can use to report sexual harassment. Rght now, the general customer enquiry number 3246 is available for these complaints.
Ms Borne also insisted on the requirement for all RATP’s employees to respect the principle of secularism. And if not, sanctions will be imposed, she added.
ACTION STATIONS
Guillaume Pepy, president, SNCF, took the microphone to explain other measures in the railway field. We have mobilised [since November 14] UNIR [the company’s National Rapid Intervention Unit], he told journalists. We have changed the messages on display screens to remind the public to remain vigilant and of Vigipirate [French national security alert system]. Additionally, to back up the 3117 alert number already operational 24/7, from December 14 there will also be an SMS-dedicated number [more discreet than a call] – the 31177.
In parallel, trials are ongoing to explore the potential of new security solutions, he added. The Préfecture de police is testing equipment that ‘sniffs’ supicious objects. Another innovation is a bell jar type structure that can be used to isolate such an object until the bomb disposal teams arrive, and to contain a blast if it were to explode.
Note 1: On November 2, Christian Lambert, 69, the former head of RAID, the anti-terrorist unit of the French National Police, and prefect of Seine-Saint-Denis, took up the post of security chief at SNCF.
Note 2: the powers of intervention by the SUGE and GPSR are likely to be increased in the coming months once a bill, under discussion since October 2015, is passed. The changes should give them greater freedom to search individuals and their bags, and concern the carrying of weapons.
KEEPING IT LIVE
All SNCF’s 3,000+ stations nationwide are monitored by CCTV. And RATP has cameras in operation too. However, French public transport users still appreciate the human touch. Despite the existence of equipment such as video surveillance, emergency call points, strategically placed reverse mirrors in corridors/at corners, and so forth, passengers still rate a human presence highly, reports a study by Axis Communications. Indeed they consider frontline staff, the police, security guards, and even fleet drivers most reassuring.’
GATING THE SYSTEM
Segolène Royale, French minister for ecology, sustainable development & energy, has entered the ongoing security debate by calling for airport-style control gates to be installed at stations.
However it’s as yet unclear whether her proposal means screening passengers travelling on international train services and/or domestic. She already evoked this subject following the thwarted terrorist attack on board a Thalys high speed train on August 21, 2015. Apparently SNCF is not keen on the idea (cost, disruption to passenger flow, and difficulty in equipping old stations), yet recent news suggests it will nevertheless be testing the equipment at a station (as yet unnamed) sometime in 2016…
IMPACTS ON MINDS & MODES
Since last Friday, Parisians have (understandably) lost confidence in enclosed public spaces that give the impression of being trapped. Consequently many have told Mobility they are currently avoiding the underground metro (220km of lines, over five million passengers/day) whenever possible, preferring instead to take alternative overground modes such as the bus, car and bike sharing, or to use their cars instead.
On November 17, French daily ‘Le Parisien’ reported traffic jams had doubled in Île-de-France.
During the press conference, both Mr Pepy and Ms Borne agreed that it was too soon to have any figures, the latter did point out that RATP ridership dropped by 50% on Saturday November 14. But I’m sure on Monday people had to carry on with their lives, go to work, and so forth, she added.
TAKING NO CHANCES
As part of the security crackdown promised by president François Hollande, the French National Assembly has voted to extend the national state of emergency, declared on November 13, for three months.
Speaking at a press conference on November 20, police prefect Michel Cadot said that the ban on major public demonstrations will continue until this Sunday, November 22, at midnight. The reasons are both safety and resource related, since the Préfecture de police is obviously keen to deploy its forces elsewhere during this critical time in Paris.
Note 3: the COP21 climate summit will open in Paris on November 30, running up to December 11.