Formula E: the lovers take advantage of the free public transport

Screenshot of VAT New
Several fans of the Formula E have taken advantage of the free public transport.

QMI agency

Saturday, 29 July, 2017 19:59

UPDATE
Saturday, 29 July, 2017 19:59

Look at this article

MONTREAL | Enjoy the facilities of the Formula electrical power in the coming free in transit, it was the message of the City of Montreal, and several enthusiasts and the curious have understood this Saturday by leaving their car at home for the first two races of the weekend.

“We are of Longueuil and we took the public transport. It is in a business environment where it promotes a lot of green energy. I am interested and it is our future to our generation,” explained a couple of the South Shore.

“It is to make a few sacrifices in order to promote interesting things. The metro, it is well,” she said a visitor.

Who will pay for the note?

The decision of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) will offer free bus services and metro had caught the regional Authority of metropolitan transport (ARTM) earlier this week.

The idea of free public transport had not been discussed between the partners, had revealed the spokesperson of the ARTM, Fanny St-Pierre.

“We are to calculate the costs that are related to the gratuity and depending on the result of our estimates, we will discuss with the City of Montreal to see what solutions it brings to this disparity”, she said in a telephone interview.

The mayor of Montreal Denis Coderre has explained his decision in an interview.

“There was a BIXI bike which was free on Sundays, so we said that we would do it over two days. We have consulted the STM and was told that it was a good idea to use public transport. If you want to be in the energy transition, we want to ensure that there can be a response to the congestion,” he said.

Mayor Coderre refused to answer if the expenses generated by the free transport are included in the envelope of $ 24 million for the Formula E.

According to the figures of the STM, a weekend, middle of July account for 1.1 million trips with revenue of $1 million.

Bleachers filled

A complete report of the event will be held in the beginning of the week. In the meantime, many downtown streets remain closed throughout the weekend because of the event.

The sector situated in the area of the quadrilateral of the streets Saint-Antoine and Berri, avenue Papineau and René-Lévesque boulevard East is to prevent in a car.