Court allows works on France’s controversial A69 highway to resume

A total of €300-450 million had already been spent on the construction of a 53km-long stretch of the A69 between Toulouse and Castres when the administrative court of Toulouse ruled in February this year that the benefits of the project were “very limited” for the region and its inhabitants.

It ordered the annulment of environmental authorisations for the project, bringing work to a standstill.

But concessionaire Atosca, which won a deal to build and operate the motorway for 55 years in 2022, and its partners lodged an appeal against the decision.

And yesterday (28 May), the Administrative Court of Appeal of Toulouse suspended the execution of the earlier judgements, which annulled the environmental authorisations issued by the French state to the concession companies.

The court also suspended another order that annulled environmental authorisation on works to widen the existing A680 motorway between Castelmaurou and Verfeil, which had also been halted.

The stay of execution has the effect of reinstating the environmental authorisations that had been cancelled, until the court rules on the three appeals.

Following the decision, Atosca said, “After an abrupt halt that led to the withdrawal of 1,000 people and the shutdown of 350 machines, the stay of execution obtained by the State and supported by local elected officials and economic stakeholders in the region, puts Atosca in a position to resume work on the 53 km. The objective is to restore, in conjunction with the State, all the conditions necessary to return as quickly as possible to the level of activity that existed before 27 February.”

The company said it would remobilise its employees and equipment, suppliers, and subcontractors, and reactivate procurement with local businesses ahead of “full summer activity”.

Atosca has claimed that all levelling works for the highway had already begun before work stopped and 70% of the highway structures are complete. The project is set to cost €512 million (in 2018 Euros).

The Administrative Court of Appeal’s move sparked protests outside the court by opponents of the highway, who want the construction of the highway to be halted until all judicial decisions are made. They argue that 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural land will be destroyed, and that improvements to local roads would suffice.

Atosca’s industrial partners are NGE Concessions and Portuguese motorway operator Ascendi, who hold 25% and 15% shares in the consortium respectively. Finance partners Quaero Capital and TIIC each hold 30%.