Overview
- President Nicolas Isnard announced on Thursday, Sept. 24 that the Métropole will end existing free‑fare measures and said gratuities cost about €15 million a year.
- The change covers Aubagne’s long‑running full gratuity (in place since 2009 for roughly 100,000 residents) and Marseille’s recent senior and child concessions introduced in September 2025.
- Isnard says the switch to a means‑tested 'tarification sociale' will be presented at the 15 October budget rectification, but the policy is not yet implemented and timing for rollout remains uncertain.
- Aubagne’s mayor Jean‑Pierre Squillari and local associations have denounced the move as unilateral and announced political and legal challenges to block its application.
- Officials and analysts warn savings may be modest — the Métropole estimates roughly €1.5 million per month — and the dispute highlights deeper fiscal and governance strains that could affect transport projects and municipal budgets.