I think the problem is not really in the diagnostic (when you have your first one, you'll know when you get another) but rather the antibiotic management: resistance testing and rotation if UTIs are recurrent. That's where the value of a visit to the hospital or lab comes from in my opinion.

Does this solution address that part?

Even in France, it's nothing new, my home town has had free buses since 2002.

And the article states "Styling itself as a “laboratory” of free transport, Dunkirk has attracted an “incessant” stream of visitors intrigued at whether it could work in their cities, says Delevoye.". That's just poor journalism.