UKH

By Rick Marchant.

Chamonix, 26 June 2002

Closed for over 3 years the Mont Blanc tunnel has finally, officially opened the road once again to heavy goods vehicles. Though as yet no heavy goods vehicles have been seen in the Chamonix Valley. Whatever your views on the rights or wrongs of road transport in Europe and in particular across the Alps, it's an event that is greeted with sadness here in Chamonix. A disappointing return to the excessive air and noise pollution, resulting from up to 5000 trucks a day grinding their way up and down the approach road to the tunnel. A return to the memories of looking down from the Aiguille du Midi onto the smog haze that used to engulf the lower valley. It's rather ironic that Alpine valleys which used to attract tourists for the pure quality of the mountain air, should now be registering pollution levels similar to those in inner cities.

On the 25th of June, in protest to the return to the uncontrolled passage of trucks, various action groups organized a 2nd demonstration under the banner... "Non aux Camions." A relaxed and peaceful event that felt like half protest and half carnival. Banners were waved, speeches were made, bands played and an incredible mechanical cow stole the spotlight. An all day picnic in the sun that blocked the access road to the tunnel, under the watchful eyes of a small group of bored French riot police. A symbolic gesture to close the tunnel on it's first official day open to all road transport.

The Mont Blanc tunnel open only to light traffic is a dream that economic pressures will not allow. After 3 years Chamonix is set to sink once more into the same smog that has continued to suffocate other alpine valleys, such as the Maurienne, victim to the need to link Northern and Southern Europe across the Alps.

Is there a solution? If not in the short term, what about long term projects? Can the rail network really be improved to help make international transport across the Alps less damaging? Whatever the solution, a solution does need to be found.

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:
Pressures from outside France, i.e. from the european users of the tunnel GB, GER, IT etc, would be helpfull.
See at
http://www.arsmb.com/
Association pour le respect du site du Mont-Blanc

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

The following from http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/16605/story.htm

Mont Blanc tunnel traffic calm after protests

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FRANCE: June 27, 2002


CHAMONIX, France - Traffic flowed normally through the Mont Blanc tunnel between France and Italy yesterday after riot police used teargas to break up a protest by environmentalists during the night, local officials said.


Riot police cleared away about 200 demonstrators and escorted waiting trucks to the tunnel amid a hail of rocks thrown by protesters.
The environmentalists were protesting against a decision to reopen the tunnel to heavy goods traffic this week after being closed for three years following a fatal fire.

Thousands of environmentalists and residents also protested this week against the reopening.

"We won't forget this," Georges Unia, head of a residents' association opposed to the reopening to heavy goods traffic, said after the overnight protest was broken up.

"This marks the opening of the second phase of the struggle at Mont Blanc tunnel," he told LCI television.

The 11.6 km (seven mile) tunnel beneath western Europe's highest mountain has reopened in stages, to cars in March and lighter trucks in May, a process marked by wrangling between France and Italy and loudly opposed by environmental groups.

Trucks with up to four axles and weighing less than 19 tonnes were able to use the tunnel in May, and trucks of any size can now use it - except those carrying hazardous cargo which are still banned