A long-time opponent of the Jura airport, Pascal Blain, from the Serre Vivante association, a nature protection association, began his speech with a historical reminder of the creation of the airport before recalling that “the one of the reasons for the work which will start in a few months is the poor condition of the track.”
An appeal before the administrative court
As of 2018, its renovation was estimated at 3 million euros. The Department then decides to take on half of it and in 2021, the Region agrees to finance the other half. In the meantime, a study, carried out by the Iris Conseil firm, reveals that the track does not meet European safety standards: problem of slope for the evacuation of water and danger of aquaplaning (loss of grip in due to water on the floor, Editor's note) for large devices. Serre Vivant has also filed an appeal before the administrative court of Besançon to stop the operation of the track but the outcome of the case is still pending if we are to believe Pascal Blain.
Iris Conseil estimated the cost of the work to bring the track up to standard at €7.5 million, or 2.5 times the initial forecast. In 2022, the Region will freeze its aid, then maintain it at €1.5 million. Then president of the Jura departmental council, Clément Pernod sought support elsewhere. The State in turn committed €2M and finally the financial package was completed under the presidency of Gérôme Fassenet, in turn, a fervent defender of the Jura airport.
Ecological harm
Serre vivant does not limit its criticism to “financial mismanagement”, especially since public money also finances the commercial support from which the company Ryanair largely benefits: the association also denounces the ecological harm caused by the airport and traffic in particular in the area, on the northern harrier with the proximity of the Girard reserve.
Above all, it raises the question of the profitability of the airport. “According to the Court of Auditors,” explains Pascal Blain, “the economic balance of an airport platform does not exist below 800,000 passengers per year. » 125,000 passengers traveled from Dole-Tavaux airport according to figures from the departmental council in 2023.
-Objective of Living Greenhouse: delay the start of construction
The start of construction is announced for May 15. Serre Vivante, however, still has hopes in the impact study required by Article L122-1 of the Environmental Code: since it is no longer just about maintenance, Serre Vivante believes that it legally required.
A corner that Pascal Blain intends to push to delay the work until 2027, the year when the possibility of granting operating aid to certain regional airports will be called into question by the European Commission. To be continued…
