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French motorway toll costs will not rise by the 7-8% suggested by motorway companies but will see a 鈥渕ore significant鈥� increase in 2023 than this year鈥檚 2%, Transport Minister Cl茅ment Beaune has said.

The minister also revealed that he has asked rail operator SNCF for a price cap to control increasing train fares.

Motorway tolls have increased by 2% in 2022, considerably below the inflation rate, which was 6.2% year on year in October.

Mr Beaune, who was invited onto the Grand Jury RTL-Le Figaro-LCI political programme, said: 鈥淓very year [...] there is an increase in toll prices which is linked to inflation.鈥�

So, next year, 鈥渢here is a risk of a significant rise in tolls. In 2022 it was 2%, which is very far below the current inflation rate.

鈥淚f we applied things in an automatic fashion we could get a rise of 7-8% next year.

But, 鈥淚 have always said: there will not be a 7-8% rise, it is not possible,鈥� even though these figures have previously been suggested by motorway companies.

鈥淭here will be an increase, like there is every year, and in a world of high inflation linked to the international situation, to the war, I cannot say to motorists that there will not be a rise in prices when everything else is going up.

鈥淭he current situation must be reflected in the increase, so it will definitely be a more significant increase because inflation is higher.

鈥淒iscussions are taking place with motorway companies but we also want to encourage the ecological transition, so I cannot tell drivers that the only mode of transport that isn鈥檛 becoming more expensive is car travel, it鈥檚 not possible.鈥�

Estimations suggest that inflation will sit between 4.2% and 6.9% in 2023.

A price cap for train tickets?

Train ticket prices are also expected to increase in 2023, but not to the same extent as the inflation rate, Mr Beaune said.

鈥淚 have asked SNCF to work over the coming days on a 鈥�bouclier tarifaire鈥� (price cap) on train fares,鈥� he added.

This would mean that 鈥渢hose who need to take the train daily, those on the lowest incomes, and young people using Ouigos, for example, will be protected.鈥�

SNCF鈥檚 CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou already announced in mid-September that train fares would soon increase, as the operator prepares for an electricity bill of at least 鈧�1.6billion in 2023.

鈥淚f we passed this on directly to ticket prices, we would have to increase TGV fares by 10%,鈥� he told the French Senate.

鈥淏e assured that we will not pass on 100% of our costs to customers,鈥� he added.

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