The Transport Safety Act has been promulgated, here are the main measures that come into force

The Transport Safety Act , adopted in March, was promulgated in the Official Journal on Tuesday, April 29.

Highly anticipated by professionals, this law includes the permanent use of body cameras by inspectors, as well as the possibility for security forces (Rail Security for SNCF and GPSR for RATP) to carry out searches without needing the green light from prefects, or to intervene near stations.

Last Thursday, the Constitutional Council censored certain provisions, including one that stipulated that SNCF and RATP security forces could "force" anyone disturbing "public order" to "leave" stations, stations, or vehicles.

"By recognising such a prerogative to these agents, whereas a coercive measure falls, by nature, within the sole competence of the police authorities" , these provisions are contrary to the Constitution, the Constitutional Council ruled.

While these agents can indeed "refuse access" to these places , they cannot exert "constraint on the person who refuses to comply," he explained.

"Fight against abandoned luggage"

The current Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, was behind the bill when he was a senator. He welcomed to AFP on Friday that "the Constitutional Council had deemed compliant (...) the main provisions" of the text of the law, namely "the extension of the missions of the scope of intervention of security agents", "the perpetuation of the wearing of body cameras" and those concerning "the fight against the abandonment of luggage" .

The cause of increasing disruptions in transport, forgetting or abandoning luggage can now be punished with a fine of up to 1,500 euros , a higher fine than that previously imposed by operators, including SNCF and RATP.

The Constitutional Council also censored the experimental installation of front and side cameras on school buses in Mayotte.

He also considered several articles to be "cavaliers" , that is to say without sufficient connection with the initial text, including the one which aimed to equip SNCF security service agents - already equipped with lethal weapons - with electric pulse pistols (Tasers).

An article extending the experimentation of an algorithmic video surveillance system during large gatherings, notably tested during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was also censored.