• Applications against the Great Western Bypass of Strasbourg (GCO) were filed in 2018 by the Alsace nature association on behalf of the GCO collective no thanks to the Strasbourg administrative court.

  • These appeals had not made it possible to suspend the work authorized by several prefectural decrees.

  • The administrative tribunal's decision issued on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 calls for a new global environmental impact study and an additional public inquiry to be made within ten months, which risks delaying the commissioning of the new portion of the motorway, 24 kilometers long and yet expected in a few months.

While the work on the future Great Western Strasbourg Motorway Bypass (GCO) has almost come to an end - road signs are already being installed - a new legal battle risks delaying its opening to traffic, scheduled for a few months barely. The Alsace Nature Association, on behalf of the GCO non merci collective, had filed a “package of six appeals” in September 2018 with the Strasbourg Administrative Court. Appeals against the prefectural decrees authorizing the work and which, according to them, were not legal. The court decisions were finally published on Tuesday and partly give reason to the association, but do not suspend the work, the latter being too advanced.

The administrative court requests the realization of a global environmental impact study and a complementary public inquiry with a referral to the environmental authority.

To put it simply, the state has ten months to draft new decrees and regularize the situation.

As a result, the commissioning of the new 24-kilometer portion of the highway could be delayed by several months, or even in the spring of 2022 and perhaps longer if there is an appeal.

"That will not prevent the project from succeeding"

“This reinforces what has been said for years and several negative opinions on the project which pointed to the inadequacies of environmental compensation, welcomes Bruno Dalpra, one of the spokespersons of GCO no thank you. These compensations are not sufficiently sustainable over time, in particular with regard to biodiversity, the great Hamster… It is nevertheless an important victory for us. The court's decisions support five of the six appeals. This pleases us even if we suspect, given the progress of the work, that this will not prevent the project from succeeding. "

Recalling that the battle is now on air quality and the evolution of road traffic, Bruno Dalpra warns.

“We lost the battle for the land, but there is still the fight for the climate.

And in the climate, there is automobile and road traffic which is pointed.

It is a continuity in our fight and we will use all the cartridges available to lead it.

"

Justice

Strasbourg: The court ruled in favor of the anti-GCOs and canceled the permit to develop the Kolbsheim viaduct

Planet

Strasbourg: The administrative tribunal validates the preparatory work of the GCO

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