To achieve this we have two technologies

The head of the RATP since the summer, the former Director of cabinet of Dominique de Villepin intends to put the company in a position to meet the challenge of rapid growth of the passengers and the arrival of the competition. The priorities are modernization of the Metro, the external growth and the strengthening of cooperation with the Caisse des Dépôts.

You took the head of the RATP five months ago. What are the challenges facing the company, and what objective keep you

My ambition is to develop this large public transit company, which is able to export its know-how in the world and to compete. To do this, the RATP has several challenges, such as security and quality of service, but also a challenge of capacity. Our flow of travellers are very strong growth. They grew by more than 11 in ten years. Attendance at the Metro was for example more than 2 per year, which represents 60 million additional travelers per year. This is reflected in the sales, which reached the record level of EUR 3.6 billion, an increase of 3.3, in a sector where growth is traditionally low. But follow this evolution of flows requires significant investments. After thirty years of insufficient investment issues in our region, it is time to have a vision in the medium term and to prepare projects that will be implemented in eight to ten years. This is why I proposed to the elected representatives of the Ile-de-France region upon my arrival the realization of the "Métrophérique", the device of the Metro. This project is absolutely essential to achieve the goals set by the master plan of the Ile-de-France region by 2030.

It is an old project. Why has he become so urgent today

This project is not only an additional supply of transport for the small Crown which was too long poorly served due to lack of means of transport (Metro, railway). It also allows to avoid the paralysis of the centre of Paris. What is happening on line 13 is emblematic of the risk that we run across the network. This line is a difficult operation because it brings together two lines in one, but the difficulty is also the result of that 20 of people who use it are seeking to cross Paris to link two suburbs. If there was a system of semicircle to the North or the South of Paris, the travellers would gain time and comfort. Travel from suburb to suburb currently represent 16 million trips per day (including car), an increase of 20 in three years. But only 20 of the inhabitants of the small Crown use collective means of transport for their professional movements, against 60 in Paris. From this point of view, the "Métrophérique" could be the true tipping of the automobile to the transit point. As if this project is launched, the RATP intends to propose, in partnership with other professionals, a system of underground parking to all its stations.

What could be the route and what would the cost of this project

It is up to politicians to define the path, which should be between 3 and 6 kilometres off the boulevard périphérique. This is a project of about EUR 6 billion which could be the subject of innovative financing as a public-private partnerships. In view of the life of the infrastructure, can certainly consider a specific funding, in the very long term. But it will have spread its construction, by by arcs, as advocated Jean-Paul Huchon, President of the region. First arc, in South-East of Paris in the Val-de-Marne, brings together a consensus. I think that then it will be fairly quickly achieve an arc between defence and Saint-Denis.

Is RATP not facing the necessary modernisation of the subway

He must go to a computer operating system and generalize the continuous control of speed throughout the network. This will allow us to densify the supply by reducing the interval between two trains. This is essential so that we can carry more passengers in the existing infrastructure. To achieve this, we have two technologies. The first is that of Matra Transport (Siemens group) which is based on a complete automation of operating system. It has been installed on line 14 and has been a great commercial success. Line 1 will benefit from this technology and the automation of the trains was entrusted to Siemens for a commissioning in 2011.

The second is that, being developed by Alcatel, which provides continuous speed control. In the first place, it will equip line 13 which, already in a situation of overload, will be extended in May 2008 to the lute. Of the 46 million to EUR for this market, 24 million already spent on telecommunications and signalling equipment. For the moment, safety tests do not yet have evidence. They do not meet our security requirement, which risk zero, no accidents can occur as a result of our operating systems. But this system will walk and software

will be consistent with the safety requirements of the RATP. In parallel, we undertook a renovation of all the rolling stock of line 13, to EUR 75 million.

How long can you count on this new system

The architecture is good, but the heart of the operating system the part software is entirely to rewrite. We estimated that it was not desirable to lose all that was done in domestic investment on this very innovative and highly complex project, as well as deployment of already realized equipment field. Alcatel is committed to engage the system end of 2010 and deploy it throughout the year 2011, while we had to dispose of it as early as January 1, 2007. This represents nearly four years of delay...

How are you going to prevent a new drift of time

I asked to have a look at the choice of subcontractors of Alcatel working on this project. The creation of open source software workshop will be located in Paris, and also the Canada, so the engineers of the RATP can follow the project. In one year, we will make a point of step with Alcatel to verify compliance with the new calendar. In the meantime, we will strengthen our service on line 13, and 8.5 million additional euros of investment have been decided. Capacity was increased by 22 since December 4 on the branch to Gennevilliers and 10 on average on common core. As of May 2008, the capacity will be again increased by 12 at peak hours. The first refurbished trainsets will be delivered as early as next January. I asked the Union to transport in Ile-de-France (STIF) help me to finance the installation of new landing doors, tested so far in some stations and for the improvement of the regularity of the operation and safety for travellers on the docks.

The European regulation "Obligations of public services" (OSP) will change the rules of competition. How you position you

This will be the end of our monopoly on Paris. This will also give us the possibility of finding growth outside the Ile-de-France fields, even if I think it should begin by grow in Ile-de-France, where we are already strong. This summer, we also won two tenders, one at Boulogne-Billancourt to manage the transportation of the city, the other in the Val-de-Marne to the transportation of persons with reduced mobility. To accelerate our growth and enable us to develop great Parisian Crown, we are ready to seize any opportunity of acquisition of the Ile-de-France transportation companies.

And abroad

The context of opening up competition will enable us to more easily address other areas of development, through our subsidiary RATP development. I consider that the RATP mark, which is extremely attractive, was not enough implementation value. Moreover, this does not exclude that, in the framework of our cooperation with Transdev, that I look further, could also use the Transdev mark when it is in a position of strength. RATP is EUR 50 million in sales, with profitability is improving. But this does not go quite quickly. I have set a goal to increase the turnover of the RATP of 10 in three years, while strengthening our cost control by internal synergies and an integrated resource mobilization. We must rebalance our turnover, widely dependent on our relationship with the STIG, to a more diverse turnover. Which implies the still to make acquisitions.

You have expressed to the Fund of deposits (CDC) you wish to create a large pole of public transport. What is the content of the discussions

We need to form a grand European public transport hub to weigh against the rise of British, Spanish companies, American. To do this, we have two runways. Either create an entity in the public sphere the solution I prefer bringing together the RATP, Transdev (subsidiary of CDC) and Keolis (subsidiary of SNCF), which may constitute, at the side of Veolia transport a second large global group. It is in this framework that I proposed to the SNCF to a 33 stake in Keolis, without success so far. I do not despair of convincing the SNCF. The alternative, which is not in conflict with the previous one, would be to strengthen our partnership with Transdev approximate RATP development of Transdev to create a common platform for development. TRANSDEV has assets that we do not, and the RATP has skills, particularly in the rail that Transdev did not. Do not forget that the railway market will open, the RATP already has interests in Germany with Eurailco and is known to operate trains safely. Discussions with the CDC that I drive for three months include a broadening of the partnership between the RATP and the Fund, with Transdev, which, beyond the operation of the transport, might also deal with real estate and engineering, areas in which we could bring our respective subsidiaries.

And if you cannot go as fast with the CDC

It will do so, even if it may take some time.