the associations’ response is getting organized
This morning, the association “No to the highway” distributed leaflets on the Pont de l’Arche market. Like other associations, it is organizing the response against the East Rouen bypass project, deemed “aberrant” and “climaticide”.
A cargo bike parked at Place Hyacinthe Langlois, at the start of the Pont de l’Arche market. Erected as a symbol. On the bicycle, several signs and a central message: “No to the A 133 / A 134 motorway”.
This famous A 28 / A 13 link, known as the “East bypass” has been the subject of debate for several decades in the region.
The site has been on track since the State gave its approval on December 15. The highly controversial project was rejected by the majority of elected officials from the Rouen Normandie metropolitan area in February 2021. But the government has launched the procedure for the designation of the concessionaire.
Sophie Ozanne is one of the members of the association “No to the highway” founded in 2000. An association based in Léry, in the Eure region, which has around a hundred members. She is one of the many associations grouped together in the collective “Non à l’A 133 / A 134”, which fights against this project. “from another time”.
“When we learned that Jean Castex had validated the project, it was a massive blow. We are angry launches Sophie Ozanne. “We are already suffering from the nuisance of two motorways, the A 13 and the A 154, a another highway will only bring us inconvenience. I remind you that the bypass should generate 50,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, minimum! It is completely absurd. We do not understand the decision of the State which is absolutely wrong with history, the French government has been condemned for climate inaction, but continues to miss the point. It is not at all in line with the climate change. “
The association intends to make itself visible, every week, and wants to increase the demonstrations, negotiations, and other mobilizations in the weeks to come.
“On January 15, we will be in Louviers and on January 21 in Val-de-Reuil. We must explain all these issues to the population.”
Maxime Bunel, president of the association for 4 years, confirmed this desire to fight the project to the end:
“We will not let go. There is still everything to play for this project to be stopped. In any case, the concessionaire will not be able to meet the ecological challenges because the project will generate too much pollution. It dates from the 70s, this project! Today, we can no longer ignore noise, fine particles, etc … not to mention the issue of tolls! This is total nonsense. We live in a green, protected department, we really fear for our quality of life with the arrival of this motorway, which is also why the Eure department was against the project. Several mayors are with us. This morning, the mayors of Pont-de-l’Arche and Alizay joined us. We believe that the fight is not lost, it will be very heavy, but it is only just beginning and that involves information to the citizen, that is why we are here today, even in the rain! ”
The Department of Eure had indeed refused to financially support the project. A project estimated at one billion euros.
For his part, Guillaume Grima, former elected green and activist of the association “Greenhouse Effect Toi-Even” denounces a “climaticide” project.
He participated in a working meeting yesterday Saturday January 8 in Rouen for organizer ” the response “. Nearly 80 people, from different associations, took part in this meeting with the association “No to the highway” and other groups of residents affected by the project: associations for the defense of the environment, elected officials, Zadists or citizens opposed to the project.
The collective is working on three major axes to counter the bypass project.
” The first, specifies Guillaume Grima, this is what the association “No to the highway” did this morning in Pont-de l’Arche: It informs the population on the negative impact of the project and above all, on the many alternatives that we apart ! Because there are, at the rail, river level, but we also propose a development of public transport. Solutions that are less effective for the population, less impactful for the population and more environmentally friendly.
Our second focus is lobbying elected officials. A number of them are already positioned against the route: 94% of the inter-municipal authorities present on the route of the route refused by the project financier. This shows that there is real institutional opposition and they are powerful allies. We will offer them solid and credible alternatives.
Finally, our third axis consists in launching legal remedies. We are educating them. We will use the laws that protect nature, water and biodiversity, all three impacted by this age-old project. ”
The activists from Eure and Seine-Maritime are therefore organizing a targeted response.
A next working meeting of this collective “No to the A133 / A134” which brings together some twenty associations will take place on February 5th.