RER D SA 2019: encouraging initial results
SA 2019: encouraging first results
The first results are encouraging. Since December 2018, when this new organisation was implemented, the overall punctuality rate of the line has increased from 83% to 87.7% with a traffic of 615,000 passengers per day. The number of late passengers fell by 27%.
However, the level of quality expected by passengers, and which is the subject of a contractual commitment by the SNCF, has not yet been achieved, both in terms of punctuality and the maintenance of connections at the stations of Corbeil, Viry and Juvisy. If the D line is doing better, its results must be further improved.
To accompany this change, 13bus lines have also been reinforced on several networks between Juvisy and the Milly la Forêt sector, which allow Ile-de-France residents to get around better with easier connections with RER D trains.
The SA 2019 is part of a global plan to modernize this line with increased investments to amplify these results and improve robustness and punctuality.
Many projects to improve the line are still planned:
- Improvement of passenger information
- Reliability of connections
- Deployment of the Régio2N and the RER NG
- Modernisation of the train maintenance centre (€500 million)
- Deployment of tools and regulators to improve traffic flow in the tunnel.
For more information, see the press release.
A strong commitment from the SNCF to a better quality of service
SNCF has contractually committed to a more ambitious punctuality target and, for the first time, to the smooth running of connections.
The punctuality of line D is currently one of the lowest of all trains running in Île-de-France. The branches serving Malesherbes and the Seine Valley are the most penalised. With the offer implemented from December 2018, SNCF has committed to improving the punctuality of the line to at least 90% and the Vallée, Malesherbes and Littoral branches to 95% as soon as the new trains have been deployed.
A new performance indicator has also been defined in order to monitor the good performance of the connections created with the new line D service. This indicator is subject to a bonus/malus mechanism.
Ile-de-France Mobilités and SNCF have revised the contract between them to introduce these commitments and increase the amount of financial incentives associated with punctuality indicators.
More trains to meet demand
In order to adapt to the growth in ridership on the line, it is planned to run more trains during peak periods, as well as at weekends.
Thus, the Melun branch will be reinforced during the busiest hour in the morning by the introduction of 3 trains between Sénart and Paris. The reorganization of traffic in Corbeil will double the frequency between Paris and the Plateau stations.
With regard to the Malesherbes branch, the consultation organised with the users of the line has made it possible to identify a high expectation and thus to allocate substantial resources to increase the number of trains on this branch by 15% on weekdays, focusing in particular on extended peak hours.
During the weekend, the offer will also be reinforced with longer trains during the day, two more trains on Sunday morning on the Melun branch, 2 more trains per hour between Gare de Lyon and Villiers le Bel on Sunday in the second half of the day.
For passengers on line D, the implementation of this new service will result in a very strong increase in punctuality (25% fewer delays) and a more regular offer (4 times fewer trains cancelled).
In addition, the waiting time between two trains will be harmonised in the Val de Marne and on the north of the line in order to allow a simplified and more readable organisation of journeys.
Finally, to better meet travel needs during the summer period, the timetable for the application of the summer offer will be postponed by one week. The summer period will thus begin in the last week of July and end in the last week of August.
In total, Ile-de-France Mobilités commits an additional €10 million each year for the operation of the RER D.
New, more modern trains from the start of the 2019 school year
From September 2019, passengers on the Malesherbes, Vallée and Littoral branches will benefit from new trains (Regio 2N). These new-generation, more reliable trains are equipped with dynamic screens, air conditioning, electrical outlets and video protection cameras for more comfortable journeys.
More services in the stations
The stations of Corbeil-Essonnes, Viry-Châtillon and Juvisy will benefit from a major information and communication system to support passengers during the launch of this new offer, as well as substantial developments that represent an investment of 7 million euros.
The system that will be put in place by the SNCF focuses in particular on increasing the number of shelters and seats on the platforms, improving signage, renovating platforms, security, but also the provision of new screens for passenger information and the development of services in stations such as, for example, Connected spaces.
A development of the bus offer to accompany this change
Ile-de-France Mobilités has conducted a study to strengthen the bus service on the Malesherbes, Melun left bank, the Plateau and the Evry Valley branches.
The aim is to provide passengers with an offer adapted to the SA2019 and, as far as possible, to enable them to avoid load breaks in Corbeil-Essonnes or Juvisy/Viry.
To do this, several principles have been studied, at the scale of each station in the south of the RER D line:
- Offer more connections with trains on line D or line C during peak hours, to facilitate access to the station
- To allow a link to the direct branches to Paris (Plateau d'Evry and Melun on the right bank) or to Viry/Juvisy and Corbeil-Essonnes, or even to the Transilien R
- Strengthen the network network during off-peak hours, in the evening and at weekends
The project, set up on 10 December 2018, concerns 13 bus lines, on several networks between Juvisy and the Milly la Forêt sector.
These offer developments represent more than 770,000 additional commercial kilometres, at an annual cost of €3.5 million.
Map of bus lines (future routes) reinforced as of 10 December 2018
A first step towards a broader reorganisation of line D
At the request of Île-de-France Mobilités, SNCF Réseau and SNCF Mobilités have already begun studies for the revision of the Master Plan for Line D in order to anticipate the growth in traffic on the entire Line D.
Île-de-France Mobilités is also financing the gradual deployment of new RER NG trains from 2021 to improve travel comfort for all passengers on the line.
Find out more about the RER D: https://maligned.transilien.com/sa2019/
New trains for the RER D
At the end of 2019, the delivery of the 19 new Regio 2N trainsets will begin on the Juvisy / Malesherbe / Melun section. These trains offer many advantages to passengers, such as:
- Passenger information: the passenger has access to information on his or her journey at any time, updates: name and number of stops, travel time and possible connections with other trains, buses, trams, metros.
- Accessibility: a 100% accessible train designed to simplify travel for people with reduced mobility with level access to the platforms or handles attached to the seat. These developments will benefit all passengers.
- Safety: in order to ensure the safety of passengers in all areas of the train, each Regio 2N train is equipped with 25 surveillance cameras. The Regio 2N is a so-called "boa" train allowing easy access from one car to another. Lighting has also been added to the platforms to reinforce the sense of safety.
In addition, the rest of the line will be equipped with new RER NG trains from 2021.
