A strong democratic signal has led the Métropole to enact a moratorium, thus preserving the complete free travel on buses and trams in the Pays d’Aubagne et de l’Étoile. This decision follows a report that planned for metropolitan ticketing, threatening the local model.
Aubagne's majority elected officials chose abstention, refusing to vote for a text that threatened achievements while preserving free travel. This victory is attributed to the residents of the living area, who signed a rejection petition within days, gathering nearly 15,000 signatures, or about 15% of the population.
This popular mandate was a decisive support in the power struggle initiated by the Aubagne municipality and the mayors of the territory. "Grassroots democracy spoke louder than metropolitan calculators," stated Jean-Pierre Squillari, Mayor of Aubagne. He emphasized that free travel is a "vital shield for our families' purchasing power" and the "beating heart of our ecological transition for 18 years."
The municipality asserts that no deceptive deferral will be accepted, whether in 2026, 2027, or with the commissioning of the Val’Tram. The free public transport, a pioneering model since 2009, is considered a legitimate, funded choice of general interest. Reinstating paid ticketing would have been a double penalty for users and local businesses, for a negligible metropolitan financial gain.
While welcoming this metropolitan retreat, the municipality calls on users, economic actors, and the territory's vital forces to maintain their vigilance and continue signing the petition to obtain formal and definitive guarantees for the continuation of free travel.
“"This moratorium is a major first victory. But let's be clear: we will not accept any deceptive deferral. Neither in 2026, nor in 2027, nor with the commissioning of the Val’Tram, will our transport become paid. We remain mobilized to permanently safeguard this common good!"
