The group ‘La voie est libre’, which opposes the construction of the A69 highway linking Toulouse to Castres, is calling for the establishment of an information mission at the National Assembly to assess this project. This comes as the construction of the highway is set to be reviewed by the deputies. Following the protests, various legal actions, and meetings with local representatives, the opponents of the A69 highway are turning to the National Assembly. The collective is urging the deputies to examine this project with consideration for climatic uncertainties, changes in energy demand, and the impact on the territory. They have openly addressed Jean-Marc Zulesi, president of the Commission for Sustainable Development and Planning of the Assembly, in a letter, expressing their desire not to settle for a confined debate within the commission. Additionally, they have raised concerns about the high toll costs, which are expected to burden the taxpayers.
As the collective will not be heard during the study of the A69 highway project connecting Toulouse to Castres, they are determined to disrupt this narrative. Meanwhile, Jean-Marc Zulesi has expressed his intention to contribute to calming the situation, stating, “There will be a political debate within the political groups present in this commission. We must avoid repeating the mistakes observed around the A69 Toulouse-Castres. With this debate, we aim to contribute to calming the situation.” This initiative coincides with the recent progress report on the construction works by the concessionaire, Atosca. The work schedule is currently on track for completion in the autumn of 2025, and the highly disputed deforestation works are 90% concluded.
Nevertheless, ‘La voie est libre’ launched a petition against this project on November 7th, believing that it is not too late to halt the construction. The petition has garnered nearly 40,000 signatures to date. The outcome remains to be seen.
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Challenges and Controversies Surrounding the A69 Highway Project
