The State Appeals the Suspension of the A69 Construction and Requests Its Immediate Resumption

The legal battle over the A69 Toulouse-Castres highway continues. On February 27, the Toulouse administrative court annulled the project’s environmental authorization and ordered the suspension of construction. Contesting this decision, the State announced on Monday, March 24, that it had filed an appeal and requested an urgent resumption of the work.

An Appeal and a Request for Immediate Resumption

In a statement sent to AFP, the Ministry of Transport specified that “the State has filed an appeal against the decision (…) and, at the same time, has requested a stay of execution of this decision in order to allow the rapid resumption of work on the site.” Both appeals were submitted on Friday evening to the Toulouse administrative court of appeal.

The A69 project, designed to connect Castres (Tarn) to Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), is supported by its advocates as a driver of economic development and a means to improve access to the southern Tarn region. However, it faces fierce opposition from environmental groups who criticize its environmental impact.

A Clash Between Environmentalists and Project Supporters

The court justified its ruling by stating that the project did not meet the criteria of a Major Imperative Public Interest (RIIPM), which is required to authorize environmental damage. Opponents, organized under the collective “La Voie est Libre”, immediately reacted, condemning what they described as the State’s “relentless pursuit” against the region’s best interests.

Conversely, project supporters—including many local elected officials and Laboratoires Pierre-Fabre—are rallying for its continuation. On March 8, several thousand people gathered in Castres under the slogan “A69, let’s finish it”, emphasizing that €300 million has already been invested in this 53 km infrastructure project, initially scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot denounced the situation as “absurd,” stressing that “a project two-thirds complete is suddenly halted overnight.” He assured that “the State would continue to support the project,” indicating that another legal battle is likely in the coming weeks.