Indeed, the tramway line 2 is generating a lot of ink and the controversies mainly concerning its route and cost are not about to end.
An example of this is Patrick Allemand’s conference, which will reveal, no less, his alternative project on behalf of the opposition municipal group Changer d’Ere.
But before the people of Nice become aware of it, a public meeting is also convened in the evening, and here the Greens have already made it known that they do not share the same vision as their socialist partners.
So, on behalf of whom will Patrick Allemand speak?
The situation is quite unprecedented with an opposition within the opposition that adds to an opposition committee to the project composed in a politically transversal manner.
Well, the line 2, between the lateral steps of Christian Estrosi (two years behind the initially planned schedule) and the confusion (at least in public communication) of the opposition, the project of the route risks becoming, not a choice of the citizens, but a consequence of irrational circumstances arising from interests behind which some will certainly find themselves.
From the Promenade des Anglais underground with a terminus navigating from the port to the Riquier station, nothing is less certain with this line 2 which continues to be postponed endlessly and whose projects seem more like political moves than real projections into the future of the city.
Statement by Patrick Allemand
“On March 13th, Christian Estrosi announced a new volte-face in the endless saga of tramway line 2 by postponing its commissioning to 2019 to the Quai Cassini.
After a period of work with experts, the group Changer d’Ere takes its responsibilities in this debate. Along with all the socialist elected representatives of the group, we insisted, on the one hand, on not delaying this project which remains the priority of the people of Nice, and on the other hand, on demonstrating that the Mayor of Nice was incapable of completing it within reasonable time and costs.
We believe that the choice of the project must be made by the people rather than by the courts. Therefore, for this democratic confrontation to take place, we had to be in a position to offer you a counter-project. It is now completely ready.”
Following the mayor’s statements at the last metropolitan council and the position taken by the CGT, Europe Ecologie wishes to clarify its position on tramway line 2.
The construction of a line 2 and beyond, a true tramway network, is a social, environmental, and even health priority given the level of air pollution in Nice.
Because an absurd line, whose cost will exceed a billion euros, will not be realized, we reaffirm our opposition to Mr. Estrosi’s semi-aerial, semi-underground line project. We stated during the public inquiry that a rational solution is a new, above-ground line linking the West entrance of Nice (CADAM, airport, and Moulins district) to the Port and Riquier station without load break. The studies had been conducted by the authorities as early as 2007 and approved in a public consultation. This delay is an unprecedented waste of work.
It is scandalous that neither Ariane, Riquier, nor the Port will be served for ten years or more by this rapid and non-polluting public transport mode. It is socially unacceptable; it is a major urban planning error.
Nice, the 5th largest city in France, is lagging on this point compared to all mid-sized French cities.
Mari-Luz HERNANDEZ-NICAISE (Europe Écologie les Verts)
