Environmentalists lose A69 autoroute appeal

A French court has rejected concerns by environmental organisations that could have stopped work on the A69 motorway project near Toulouse in southwest France.

The groups wanted the environmental assessment annulled and the cancellation of the authorisation to proceed granted to the concessionaire ATOSCA to build the A69 motorway section between Verfeil and Castres. The autoroute will connect the autoroute A680, northeast of Toulouse, travelling east to connect with the ring road around Castres.

Construction started this year but has at times been halted due to protesters invading construction sites. Police have been called into clear the protesters to all restart of works.

The group consists of around 15 associations led by France Nature Environnement, Les Amis de la Terre Midi-Pyrénées and the Confédération Paysanne, according to a report by the French newspaper La  Dépêche.

The concession contract, approved in April 2022, entrusted construction and operation of the A69 to the concessionaire ATOSCA for a period of 55 years. The 53km tolled project will have 44km of new four-lane motorway and a 9km upgraded section of an existing highway. It is also scheduled to include 16 EV charging points and is expected to be open by 2025.

According to ATOSCA, there will be 8km of acoustic protect, water habitats will be rejuvenated and around 25 hectares of trees will be planted along the route.

Part of early construction work has been creating passages that will be under the motorway for small wildlife to safely cross the highway area. ATOSCA reports that a reinforced-concrete-sectioned passageway is around 50m long and about 1.2m in diameter. About 60 are envisaged along the route and will be at places where there has been noted a traditional passage of animals. Each passageway will be lined so the animal avoids direct contact with the concrete and the entrances and exists will be well covered in shrubbery and earth to make them natural in appearance.