The primary school is due to open next September. The establishment is located in the immediate vicinity of the 4 boulevards axis, saturated by car traffic since the closure of Albert-Dubout.
The protest from residents of the 4 boulevards was indirectly invited into the discussions of the municipal council which was held this Tuesday morning. According to several opposition elected officials, the opening in September 2025 of this new primary school located on the edge of Boulevard Berthelot, the traffic of which is considered unacceptable by local residents, in fact poses a health problem.
Budget: “the situation is foggy”
The 2024 amending budget which was adopted this Tuesday by the municipal council approved a reduction in investments of €10 million. A turn of the screw following the desire of the resigned government of Michel Barnier to reduce allocations to local authorities.
“We are in a period of uncertainty, there is no finance law, the situation is foggy and I have no doubt that we will be called upon to make an effort. We are reducing our investments by 30%. We are concentrating on the essentials” commented Michaël Delafosse. The construction of the 2025 budget is also expected “difficile”. “We are going to build it without deciding to close the swimming pools, the media libraries […]. In Montpellier we have an advantage which is that the economic dynamic is there” added the mayor whose choices of significant recourse to borrowing are criticized by Abdi El Kandoussi and Salim Jawhari.
“Was it appropriate to put €40 million into the Comédie and the Esplanade, and €8 million into the trees? Perhaps it would have been better to allocate them to the essential elements that you spoke about” regretted the elected official from the Progressive and Republican Alliance group.
“Unbreathable air”
“It’s the pollution that will be at the level of children, the problem of the 4 boulevards is being around them” deplored Alenka Doulain (Mupes) who calls for a reopening of the dialogue on the current traffic plan. “A school will open on a transit route” added François Vasquez (Ecologists). “There is still time to open a dialogue with the inhabitants of the 4 boulevards” urged, for her part, Stéphanie Jannin.
“Parents are worried and do not want their children to go to these schools where everyone knows that the air will be unbreathable” added Serge Martin, requesting the implementation of an air quality measure before the opening of the establishment.
“Other parents told me of their delight at having this new equipment” wished to correct Élodie Brun-Mandon (majority).
According to Michaël Delafosse, other school groups have to deal with the proximity of dense automobile traffic like “Curie-Daudet” along the expressway or other schools in Mosson. “We are closing streets in front of schools to improve air quality and we will continue. We have resolute action on this subject. I am not minimizing the problem of this axis but we hope to have a modal shift. We must continue to move transit traffic out of the city center.” he responded to his opponents, indicating that the opening of the school will directly overlook the adjoining René Dumont Park. And will be sized to accommodate 24 students per class instead of 28 today in the area.
