Valérie Pécresse launches audit to improve RER D service

Valérie Pécresse, president of Île-de-France Mobilités, has launched an independent expert mission to address the declining service quality of the RER D commuter rail line. The decision follows reports that punctuality fell below 85% in July, missing the targets established in the contract with SNCF.

The RER D serves over 630,000 daily passengers, connecting Paris to northern suburbs like Creil and southern areas including Melun and Malesherbes. While factors such as infrastructure work, heatwaves, and the testing of new equipment have contributed to delays, Pécresse described the current situation as ‘inacceptable’.

The independent audit is scheduled to begin in November to identify systemic malfunctions and develop an action plan for the 2027-2028 period. The long-term goal is to increase punctuality by up to 6 percentage points by 2030. In the interim, SNCF has confirmed that service frequency will be reduced by approximately 5% until at least the end of 2026 to allow for increased maintenance capacity.