Small towns and off-peak hours: innovating to open up our local areas

I was very pleased to take part in this event organized by Geonexio by Transdev, which was, of course, an opportunity for debate and discussion. I attended in my capacity as Mayor of Villepreux, representing the Association of Small Towns of France (APVF), an organization that brings together municipalities with populations ranging from 2,500 to 25,000 inhabitants. Collectively, these towns represent around 26 million people across France. It was therefore particularly valuable for us to contribute the perspective of small towns and shed light on the challenges and issues they face. There are a number of topics and difficulties on which we, as elected officials, can take action, notably by advocating for our communities’ needs and concerns when it comes to rail and bus services, working with mobility authorities as well as transport operators. I believe one area where we can act relatively quickly is what I would call off-peak mobility, particularly regarding the travel needs of our senior citizens, as well as those of people who are more confined to their homes due to social circumstances or territorial inequalities. In this respect, solutions such as on-demand transport and autonomous shuttles offer significant potential. We now have the ability to deploy smarter mobility services thanks to new technologies and the growing role of artificial intelligence. These solutions could provide greater flexibility and adaptability, not as a replacement for traditional high-capacity transport modes, but rather as a complement to them. They can add real value by improving local connectivity, service coverage, and mobility options for residents. We must take action on all of these issues, and I believe the timing is right to begin a broader reflection that will help shape the future of mobility across our regions over the longer term.