Near Toulouse. Why the Lantern Festival doesn’t only make people happy in Blagnac
Through Thibaut Calatayud
Published on
Officially open since Wednesday 1uh December 2021, the Lantern Festival of Blagnac, near Toulouse, makes some teeth cringe. Lack of organization around, difficulties in getting around and parking … Some residents are worried that the nuisance will last until the end of the event, on the 1stuh February 2022.
Filtered traffic around the festival
In order to avoid a big mess in terms of traffic jams and parking (and push festival-goers to park at the parking lot P5 from the airport), the town hall of Blagnac has set up a circulation plan, validated by the Haute-Garonne prefecture. This provides for numerous modifications around the Ritouret park, the site which hosts the Lantern Festival.
Thus, cars, motorcycles and other scooters are traveled between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. in most of the streets reserved around the festival (in orange on the map above). Only holders of a let pass can move around freely in the area. These documents are also at the heart of the tensions.
Some residents are asking for more passes
In total, four passes were awarded per household residing in the filtered area. But for some residents, this is insufficient …
Contacted by Toulouse news, the town hall of Blagnac concedes that the request for additional passes is what is most requested by residents. But their number should not be increased:
“We have limited them to four per household for reasons of security and safety in connection with the prefecture”.
A running-in phase during the first two days
While some believe that there is not enough, others point to the malfunctions of the measure. On the Facebook page “Blagnac my city I talk about” which has more than 3,700 members, several inhabitants of the town have shared their misadventures.
Among these testimonies published during the first days of the festival, we learn that a plumber was unable to visit customers located in the filtered area, for lack of a pass. Another example with a nurse who was refused access despite the caduceus on her car. She was finally able to pass after discussion with security.
For the town hall, the main hiccups related to filtering have been resolved. “After days of running in, the device is really in place in accordance with the circulation plan validated by the prefecture”, she indicates while recalling that “only nurses, doctors, liberal professions can circulate without pass (in addition rescue and emergency services) ”. For others, the precious sesame is required. Without it, it is impossible to pass the filtering.
A pass loan is possible
This situation tends to several residents. This is the case for members of the Blagnac-Ritouret-Odyssud collective (BRO) or even Jean , a resident who created a page with an unequivocal name:“No to the Blagnac Lantern Festival” . Contacted byToulouse news , this citizen, who ensures not to be an opponent of the mayor Joseph carles
(DVG), plague in the face of an accumulation of nuisances which learns the daily “weary” for the residents of the festival and a lack of information on the part of the municipality.
Inhabitant of BlagnacQuestioned, the town hall wishes to reassure by indicating
that it is possible to lend a pass to the guests
. “Four passes per household allows you to have a certain flexibility”, we slip on the side of the town hall.
Can we have our meal delivered to the filtered area?
No. Uber Eats or Deliveroo delivery personnel cannot circulate in the area without a pass. The town hall of Blagnac advises residents to meet with delivery people at one of the crossing points where the pass is checked.
“A lack of organization and anticipation”
For Jean, the origin of the nuisance is more linked to a “lack of organization and anticipation” than to the presence of festival visitors.
“All of this, combined with the length of the festival with preparation and dismantling, means that it is harmful for the residents. If the organization was still good … But the feedback is bad, and it is ultimately only the continuity of the very poor preparation from the start “. Jeans
120,000 reservations
for the eight weeks of festivities.
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: the witness wished to speak on condition of anonymity. Practical information To make a report, send an email to [email protected]. Has this article been useful to you? Note that you can follow Actu Toulouse in the Mon Actu space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.