France/For one euro a day, the Hauts-de-France region lends cars to commuters

Since 2016, the En route vers l'emploi scheme has enabled workers to obtain a vehicle loan for their home-to-work commute. Manon Ansel, a young resident of Avroult who has just obtained her driving license, is taking advantage of this scheme.

" Having a vehicle from the Hauts-de-France region as your first car is not for everyone," laughs Philippe Caron, UDI regional councillor, addressing Manon Ansel. The 18-year-oldAvroult resident obtained her driving license on July 5. The problem is, she doesn't yet have a vehicle. " I'm on a work-study contract in a store in Arques, and I need a car because the public transport timetable doesn't match my work schedule", explains the young woman.

One euro a day

It was thanks to her grandmother that Manon Ansel learned about the Hauts-de-France region's " En route pour l'emploi" scheme. This scheme provides a loan of a vehicle for up to two months at a cost of one euro a day. " It's the only thing you have to pay for, apart from the petrol for the car," explains the Region. " It gives me a car while I wait for mine," enthuses Manon Ansel.

On Tuesday July 16, she wasn't the only one to receive a loan car, as a nurse's aide at Helfaut hospital also benefited, after her car broke down.

The Region's car loan scheme is aimed at anyone in employment (trial period, internship, apprenticeship, sandwich course or permanent contract) who has no means of transport to get to their place of work. To qualify for regional assistance, you must not earn more than €2,600 gross per month, hold a "B" driving license and be unable to use public transport to get to work. "We receive between ten and thirty applications a day ", explains the Region, which has committed some fifty vehicles to the scheme.

Source: www.lavoixdunord.fr/