The citizens’ consultation organized by the municipal opposition group today is shaking up the lines of local politics. Of course, this is an initiative which, having no legal value, aims solely, for the organizers, to use a sensitive issue in the eyes of Nice residents to give popular legitimacy to all those who oppose the project as it has been proposed, both institutionally and within civil society.
Furthermore, in this way, Patrick Allemand regains the initiative that had slipped away from him with regards to the cross-sectional committee that promoted the legal action against the prefectoral decision which had granted this project the value of public utility.
On the other side, the municipal majority, via the Avance association, has called its many networks to mobilize and they met last night at Nice-Etoile.
As a reminder, the disagreement between the two projects simply lies in the “underground tunnel” option, with everyone agreeing on the usefulness of this infrastructure and even advocating its extension to the East up to La Trinité as well as to the West to reach Cagnes sur Mer. The floor is now given to the citizens pending the next election results.
Three reasons to vote against the underground tunnel
1) The choice to dig a tunnel for Line 2, East-West, dramatically increases the initial cost of this line, which could now be estimated at around one billion euros*.
2) This option, not foreseen in the original route, can only stop Line 1 at Pasteur, pushing back the extension to Ariane and La Trinité beyond 2030, essentially meaning never. As a reminder, the arrival of the Tramway at Ariane was planned for around 2010. This choice, therefore, excludes a large part of the eastern neighborhoods, Ariane, the upper part of Bon Voyage, the Liserons.
3) Abandoning the tunnel would also allow the Arson-Riquier neighborhood to be served by the Tramway.
Three reasons to vote for the underground tunnel
A) This route is desired by 85% of Nice residents even though the construction of this same line will begin in a few months. The socialists continue to oppose the favorable opinion rendered by eight state administrations and the Declaration of Public Utility pronounced by the Prefect representing the government.
B) On October 17, 2011, Patrick Allemand stated: “On this matter, we will simply vote for… Why did Mr. Allemand not make his positions known during the public debate that took place from December 12, 2011, to January 12, 2012, which showed that only 2% of Nice residents are against the route validated by the Prefect? Mr. Allemand’s position, which consists of connecting the airport to the Port in 52 minutes, is absurd. The project plans to connect the port in 26 minutes!
C) Mr. Allemand proposes to create a new route without taking care to explain that the Region has not planned funding for this new project he supports and how the State will assist in implementing the following lines? His proposals are technically unrealistic. Furthermore, the amounts mentioned in the document presented by Mr. Allemand are fanciful, completely underestimated, and not certified by any expert. Mr. Allemand’s position is to connect the airport to the Port in 52 minutes instead of 26 minutes as planned in the project.
