Carpooling in Nice: announcements criticized by the ecological opposition

Facing the metropolitan authority’s new measures, ecologists denounce a lack of concrete planning and call for a broader transportation strategy.

In Nice, the revival of carpooling presented by the municipality does not convince everyone. Presented as a solution to reduce traffic congestion, these measures are criticized by the ecological opposition, which points to a lack of precision.

According to Saber Gasmi, co-secretary of the ecologists in Nice, carpooling can help, but cannot be sufficient on its own. “Generally speaking, yes, carpooling can help reduce traffic,” he explains. But he insists: this solution must be “complementary with other forms of mobility.”

A lack of concrete planning

The ecological elected official is critical of the announcements made by the city. “Where is the substance?”, he questions. For him, carpooling requires real long-term organization.

He calls for involving more stakeholders: “we must work with businesses, associations and the entire economic fabric.” Without this, he believes that stated objectives, such as convincing 10% of motorists, will remain difficult to achieve.

He also questions political consistency. According to him, Jean-Marc Governatori “struggles to understand the principle of carpooling,” while recalling his political positioning deemed vague.

A complementary solution, not a central one

For the opposition, “carpooling does not replace major transportation projects” like tram lines 4 and 5. “We need a global plan,” says Saber Gasmi. He advocates for massive investment in trams, buses and bike lanes.

He even points to a contradiction: “we talk about reducing pollution, but we’re considering removing the mini cycling tunnel on Rue du Congrès. This tunnel is important and must be maintained.” An inconsistency, according to him, with stated objectives.

Finally, he emphasizes one point: changing habits is not enough. “We must also make public transport more accessible,” he explains, mentioning incentive measures such as free fares. A measure that the Unis pour Nice list had proposed during the 2026 municipal elections.

For ecologists, carpooling can help reduce the number of cars. But without a comprehensive policy, its impact will remain limited.