The Mayor of Nice has decided to build the East-West line 2 of the tramway with an underground section 3.2 km long. The group “Changer d’ère”, however, has decided to launch a large citizens’ petition to establish a sufficiently representative power balance to force the Mayor to reconsider his decision. The organizers aim for at least 15,000 responses.
Patrick Allemand, first secretary of the PS and leader of the opposition, explains why he is fiercely opposed to this route:
1 – A financial abyss: The underground tunnel between boulevard François Grosso and the Port, 3.2 km long, has an estimated cost of 300 million euros including taxes. While the debt of the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur already exceeds 1 billion euros, the exorbitant cost of the underground section will inevitably lead to a massive increase in local taxes and deprive the people of Nice of other public facilities.
2 – Geological risks: The water-laden subsoil of Nice makes underground works unpredictable and uncertain. In Nice, “we know when we start digging, we don’t know when we finish”. Additionally, the underground works will cause movements and damage to neighboring buildings. Currently, the construction of an underground parking lot at the Port has caused cracks in the surrounding buildings on the Quai Lunel.
3 – Insufficient stops: An underground tramway (in other words, a metro) includes fewer stops than a surface tramway. Only three stops are planned between boulevard Francois Grosso and the Port. Long walking distances will significantly hinder access to line 2.
4 – An incongruous exit at the Port: The planned exit at Quai Cassini will have a significant visual impact and negative consequences for the development of port activities.
The final decision in this crucial matter for the future of our city will depend on this mobilization.
On May 25, 2013, the PS organized a citizens’ vote. This vote was a success. The people of Nice were given a voice with numbers announced by the organizers of 8,483 citizens of Nice with 91.35% having voted “against”. The Deputy Mayor of Nice, Christian ESTROSI, announced that he would not consider the result, whose legitimacy he contested.
Here is the text of the petition: [NO TO THE UNDERGROUND! YES TO LINE 2 ON THE SURFACE!](https://www.change.org/fr/p%C3%A9titions/non-au-souterrain-oui-a-la-ligne-2-en-surface-2)
We, the signatories from Nice, oppose the underground route of Tram line 2. We ask Christian Estrosi, President of the Métropole, to abandon the underground section of line 2, start the surface works from the West, and deliver line 1 to La Trinité as soon as possible.
The underground section is a financial abyss and will result in a massive increase in local taxes. We are the main ones affected; we have a say in the matter, and the people’s voice must be heard!
