RN88 in Lozère: the Occitanie region no longer wants to take over management of the national road from the State

National roads are managed, maintained and secured by the State. Costly support which increasingly encourages the State to turn to local authorities. In January 2023, the government allocated 360 km of national roads to the Occitanie region, which wished to take over the management of several strategic axes. “These roads play a determining role in everyday travel, opening up and economic development,” explained regional president Carole Delga at the time. The areas concerned were:

• The unconcessioned portion of the A68 between Toulouse and Albi
• The RN88 in Tarn, Aveyron and Lozère
• The RN125 in Haute-Garonne
• The RN 20, RN22 and RN320 in Ariège and the Pyrénées-Orientales

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Roads, motorways: the 400 main roads that the State wants to transfer to local authorities

Two years later, the situation has changed. The region is going backwards. This was announced by the president of the Lozère Departmental Council in a public meeting on Tuesday, December 17, who explained that he had spoken to Carole Delga on the phone. “She let me know that the region would not commit to the resumption of national roads. It will not commit here, it will not commit to Ariège or elsewhere,” said Laurent Suau , according to comments reported by Free Midday.

The president of the Department of Lozère assures that the Occitanie region “is not going to sign this transfer from the State to the region” because it would not have a guarantee of the State’s commitment up to 50%, with the fear that “it could cost the region dearly”.

In January 2023, the Occitanie region indicated regarding the RN88 in Lozère: “Studies and work must be accelerated, with priority in Romardiès, Mende and Langogne”.

The president of the Lozère Department says he will meet the regional prefect on Monday, December 23 to address the issue of national roads.