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“
If everyone seems to share the objectives, it is incomprehensible that so few groups want to vote for this deliberation
”, was surprised Bruno Bernard, the president of the metropolis of Lyon this Monday during the vote on the results of the consultation of the project “appeasement of the Lyon Peninsula”.
Whether they are from the majority or the opposition, all of Greater Lyon's elected officials have expressed their wish to see the center of the conurbation become "
greener
", "
quieter
" or even "
more secure
".
However, the project as announced two weeks ago by the mayor of Lyon and the president of the metropolis is struggling to find support in the metropolitan hemicycle.
“A street of colossal thirst”?
Because beyond the objectives, many have criticized the method and the lack of scientific data to support this project.
Louis Pelaez of the Pour Lyon group, in which Gérard Collomb is headquartered, denounced a “
concertation loaded from the start with a result similar to the initial announcements
”.
"
You are disconnected from the concerns of the inhabitants of the peninsula
," he tackled.
Then to deplore the absence of data on the postponement of car traffic once the Peninsula is pedestrian: “
Your plan is based on almost nothing.
You are using obsolete data for an above-ground project.
How to design a real project without impact studies?
We fear that this appeasement plan will do the opposite by crystallizing tensions
”.
Same grievances on the side of the elected centrist David Kimelfeld: "
This project of appeasement of the Peninsula is marked by a lack of concrete vision for the future of this territory and more broadly for the city of Lyon which undoubtedly explains the absence of impact studies on travel, on the future of businesses, on the price of real estate, on the surrounding neighborhoods for the next ten years
”.
The former president of the metropolis sees in the "
rush
" of the project a desire on the part of the environmentalist executive to prepare for the 2026 elections when "
you have nothing very concrete to present in the balance sheet of this" last mandate for the climate' as you called it
.
“
In short, we are pedestrianizing
“, he criticized, fearing that this pedestrianization would empty the center of Lyon “
of its small shops
”, to keep only bars at the risk of then making it “
a street of colossal thirst
”.
A majority not entirely united
Even within the majority, Laurence Boffet (The metropolis differently) questioned the executive on the negative impacts of this future limited traffic zone: "Will
we contain the real estate market which does not allow the maintenance of families and independent businesses?
What are we doing to safeguard as many diversified activities as possible on the peninsula when works and social movements have already weakened many of them?
".
The elected communist Raphaël Debû told him of his fears concerning the rise in real estate prices "
in a district where it is already very difficult to find accommodation
".
Don't turn the peninsula into "
a high society ghetto
", he asked.
Faced with criticism, Bruno Bernard recognized the "
need to better associate elected officials
" while regretting that the criticisms are based mainly on the place of the automobile.
"
However, only 15% of trips on the Presqu'île are made by car and between 2019 and 2022 the number of vehicles has decreased by -10%
", he concluded.
All the opposition groups voted against and two elected members of the majority (Mathieu Azcué and Nathalie Perrin-Gilbert) abstained.
In total, the project received 85 votes in favor and 65 elected officials voted against.
As we wrote in mid-March, several associations of traders and residents are already thinking about taking all possible recourse against the arrival of this limited traffic zone.
