New bus stops and tram stations
Through Syndicat des Mobilités de Touraine, Tours Métropole Val de Loire invests every single year in making the Fil Bleu network more accessible. Of the 1,500 stations/stops in the network, 486 have been deemed a "priority" within the meaning of Decree No. 2014-1323 of 4 November 2014. A stop is considered a "priority" stop if it meets at least one of the following conditions:
- Located on a major line of a public transport network
- Served by at least two public transport lines
- Located at a transport hub
- Located within 200 m of a place to or from which many people are likely to travel or a facility for disabled or elderly people
The decree also stipulates that at least one stop must be accessible in each municipality. In 2021, 82.3% of these priority stops were accessible. It should also be noted that these stops are frequented by 85% of network users.
Of the 486 priority stops, 400 are accessible (82.3%). 54 are deemed to have a "proven technical impossibility" preventing the installation of accessibility features and 32 are still not accessible. The 32 inaccessible stops are mostly stops that will be worked on as part of the second tram line or future urban operations.
Syndicat des Mobilités de Touraine has invested €1,205,400 in making stops accessible over the three years of the Sd'AP (Accessibility Blueprint for the “Scheduled Accessibility Programme”). Non-priority stops are also made accessible when roadworks are planned by the municipality. 272 non-priority stops are now accessible. A total of €1,656,399 has been invested in making stops accessible as part of the Sd'AP.
Alternative service for stops deemed to have a "proven technical impossibility":
The alternative service provides a solution for people living near the 54 stops with a “proven technical impossibility.” A stop deemed to have a “proven technical possibility” is one that cannot be made accessible due to technical constraints related to the surrounding environment (e.g. a street with a slope that is too steep to comply with regulations).
Fil Bleu therefore provides a transport service in an adapted vehicle, operating throughout the Fil Bleu network, from stop to stop, and at standard Fil Bleu network fares, which is available to all people with reduced mobility, whether temporary or permanent, regardless of residence.
Access to the alternative service is reserved for customers who are fully entitled to use it: those who hold a disability card indicating an 80% or more permanent or temporary motor disability and can only move around in a wheelchair. This service is also available for people with reduced mobility whose permanent or temporary disability does not allow them to use public transport. Eligibility for this service will be determined during an interview with the Fil Bleu accessibility advisor.