This early week was marked by the Metropolitan Council meeting at the Mediterranean University Center. Deliberations on the life of the institution, land planning and urban development, ecological and energy transition, maritime and coastal policy, as well as housing were on the agenda.
To start the session, a new town is about to join the metropolis. Indeed, the admission of Tourette-du-Château was approved by the Metropolitan Council on September 25th.
Increase Transport Offerings
The new Provence Côte d’Azur line, intended to connect Marseille to Nice, is announced as the largest railway project of the 21st century in France. Its goal is to bring about significant improvements.
First and foremost, it aims to increase the railway offer. At the end of the first two phases, there will be six TER trains per hour in each direction. Currently, three and a half trains connect Cannes and Menton. The new Nice station located near the airport is expected to become the major hub of the entire region.
According to projections, by 2030, 10,400 passengers should use this line daily. This could reduce car trips (-7,000 vehicles per day).
Tram line 4 aims to become the first intercommunal line. It will be the first time a tramway line will extend out of Nice. This line, which will connect Nice to Cagnes-sur-Mer in 18 stations, is expected to be operational by 2028. Line 5, which is supposed to connect Nice to Drap, is expected to be completed in 2028, but a first section may be opened as early as 2026.
Two elected officials expressed their opposition to these measures. They are concerned that the project might face a significant cost overrun due to inflation and lead to a delay in the project’s completion. According to them, a proposal for articulated buses or those running on third-generation biofuel was preferable.
The Financial Support for Valley Reconstruction is Delayed
Three years after Storm Alex, the slow pace of reconstruction procedures to finalize developments such as the activity zone in Touron in St Martin de Vésubie is being debated. A judicial procedure is underway, with expert evaluations to confirm or deny the quality of the structures that have been paid for and delivered by taxpayers.
The metropolis has already carried out works amounting to 210 million euros, of which 155 million euros were for roads and structures. 17 million euros were dedicated to riverbanks and waterways, and 30 million euros to water and sanitation. Since last June, some have claimed that the metropolis has not made good use of the “meager” financial support provided by the State, which only covers the VAT paid.
The head of the metropolis signed a program authorization allocation of 80,000 euros, to allow for the reconstruction of bridges and securing of the Vernet Valley. An extension of the emergency situation was granted to avoid these blockages and to restart the works.
Renewable Energies at the Heart of the Debate
The metropolis has committed to developing a territorial climate and energy plan covering the period from 2019 to 2025. All its actions are aligned with the principles labeled by COP 21 and the Paris Agreement.
The objectives are numerous. The metropolis is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by one-third compared to 2012. It also aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the territory’s consumption to 26% by 2030.
This acceleration concerns all types of renewable energies that have potential in the territory. For example, photovoltaic electricity production, groundwater geothermal energy, solar thermal energy, wood, or even biomass. The acceleration plan is part of the APER law of March 10, 2023. It allows and foresees that public consultations are conducted at the scale of each municipality.
The opposition wishes to concentrate on anthropic zones, especially for photovoltaic energy.
