Minister Delegate for Transport Clément Beaune refused on Monday April 24 to comment on the fate of the Toulouse-Castres motorway, against which several thousand opponents demonstrated this weekend, saying he was ready to study the way of in “reduce environmental impact” if the project is continued.
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“We obviously have to review a number of road projects”said Clément Beaune on Franceinfo. “It is out of the question to do as before! “It is clear that we are going to reduce the share of road projects – there will not be zero, there will be fewer – to give assumed priority to public transport and rail transport”he added, as the government prepares to negotiate state-region plan contracts with local executives.
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A government response by summer
“The answer on all road projects will be by the beginning of the summer”noted the minister, promising “a project-by-project analysis”. “There are environmental criteria, there are criteria for opening up territories, cost issues”he added, noting that some projects, such as Poitiers-Limoges, had already been abandoned.
The Toulouse-Castres motorway “A69 is examined in this context”noted Clément Beaune. “It is the motorway project that is the most advanced today”he noted, however.
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The concession contract with the Atosca consortium was signed in April 2022 on the eve of the presidential election, and the first works have begun.
“We are in a state of law”, underlined Clément Beaune. However, he plans to “reduce environmental impact”. “It seems possible and desirable to me”he concluded.
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“There are no constraints” on EPZs
Regarding the low emission zones (ZFE) of large cities where the most polluting vehicles must be gradually banned, Clément Beaune denounces “a fantasy”.
“It is not the State, which from Paris, from the bobo city center of the capital, would say throughout France “there is a curtain which will fall at the entrance to the metropolises (…) at the end of 2024”. That’s what we hear, that’s what scares people.”he regretted.
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It is up to the communities to define the timetable for the restrictions, “but there is no constraint to do everything, or even to start, at 1is January 2025 »the date by which the perimeters of the EPZs must be defined, he explained.
“Communities have this freedom to set the schedule”underlined the minister. “Take the time you need! »
