The Minister Delegate for Transport was the guest of “8:30 am franceinfo”, Monday April 24, 2023.
Clément Beaune, Minister Delegate for Transport, was the guest of the 8:30 a.m. franceinfoMonday April 24, 2023. Pension reform, the A69 motorway, “100 billion euros for rail”, more affordable electric cars… He answered questions from Marc Fauvelle and Salhia Brakhlia.
Pension reform: “The president wants to re-engage in the debate”
“The president wants to re-engage in the debate and he knows that he is expected”says Clément Beaune. “He himself and all of us must be in the fight”added the minister. “We’re not going to hide when it’s difficult.” Emmanuel Macron admitted on Sunday in an exchange with readers of Le Parisien that he should have “wet” more to defend the disputed pension reform and announced that he would henceforth “reengage in public debate”especially since“a lot of reforms still need to be done”.
A69 motorway: “The answer on all the road projects, including this one, will arrive by the beginning of the summer”
“The answer on all road projects will arrive by the beginning of the summer”, “including that” of the motorway project between Toulouse and Castres, assured the Minister Delegate for Transport. Clément Beaune clarified that he had requested a review in January “of all motorway projects” in progress. According to the minister, “it is out of the question to do as before”. The ministry’s analysis will take into account current issues: the fight against soil artificialisation, the reduction of CO2 emissions, the development and opening up of territories or even the cost of projects. “It is clear that we are going to reduce the share of road projects. There will be less to give assumed priority to public transport and rail transport”, he specified. Nevertheless, the Minister acknowledges that the A69, which should link the Toulouse metropolitan area to Castres, is “a specific project because it is the most advanced project”.
Taxing highways to finance rail investments “is a possibility”
Tax highways to finance rail investments “is a possibility”indicates Clément Beaune, who reacts to the desire of the Prime Minister to find “100 billion euros for rail”. For the minister, “the idea is to seek resources to finance the transfer of a certain number of our journeys, from road to rail and to public transport”. Thus, for Clément Beaune, there are two “very concrete tracks indeed” : “a tax on motorway companies and on air transport”.
“We need to produce electric cars ourselves that are affordable”
“No for Clément Beaune, the announced drop in the price of Tesla electric cars is not good news, “because we need to produce electric cars ourselves that are affordable”assures the minister. “What is the electric car market?”asks Clément Beaune. “These are luxury products and/or non-European products, mainly Chinese. And so the challenge is not to refuse this ecological or industrial transition. Because if, in ten years, we don’t have still no production of electric cars in France and Europe, we will be swept away and in addition, we will have a huge climate problem“. Thus, in 2024, Clément Beaune ensures that“we are going to create a production of more affordable electric cars in France and in Europe (…) we are in the process of changing the model. I believe in it a lot at the European level”concludes the Minister.
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Find the entire “8:30 am franceinfo” of Monday April 24, 2023: