War over Nice’s ‘Ligne 2’ tramway

The proposed Ligne 2 has been met with opposition. Copyright Nice Côte d'Azur

The former Prefect, Jean-Michel Drevet, had signed on the 15th June a state-approved declaration endorsing the route of the future tram.

The proposed second tramway for the city proposes to take passengers east to west from the port to the airport in less than 30 minutes. Yet Socialist councillor, Marc Concas, who is leading the group, is reported to be worried about the cost of the project, with a price tag of more than 750 million euros. Construction of a 3.2 kilometre underground line near the port is feared to increase the project price by 300 million euros.

The opposition believes that line 2 should end before the port, in a bid to dramatically reduce expenses. Further criticism says that the line will not serve the station or the Riquier quarter, and the lack of a geological study on the proposed site, they argue, is a cause for concern.

A copy of the application for reconsideration of the project has been sent to Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Interior Minister Manuel Valls, and the new Prefect of the Alpes Maritimes, Christophe Mirmand, has two months to make a decision on the matter.

Emma Hawcroft