Italy requests that the Mont Blanc tunnel not be closed until the viability of the road to the Frejus tunnel is restored
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Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met his French colleague Catherine Colonna in Toledo on the sidelines of the summit of the 27 EU ministers. The first topic of discussion was the situation on the Italian-French border after the landslide which restricted access to the Frejus tunnel. The two ministers have decided to convene in the next few days the intergovernmental conference with which Italy and France manage the decisions on the tunnels that connect the two countries. This was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Italy requests that the Mont Blanc tunnel not be closed until the viability of the road towards the Frejus tunnel is restored. The French minister, who has shown openness on the issue, agreed that the two governments will work together on a daily basis to manage the interventions necessary to limit the suffering for the two border regions in the most effective way.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini also had a new moment of updating with his French colleague Clément Beaune on the situation at Frejus. “The ministers shared the opportunity to avoid, at least in this phase, the closure of the Mont Blanc Tunnel whose works are scheduled from 4 September to 18 December”, reports MIT. «We will postpone the works that were planned in the Mont Blanc tunnel starting from Monday 4 September. I spoke about it with my Italian counterpart Matteo Salvini also because it is also an Italian request. We will postpone the work for at least a few days. The start of the works will be linked to the reopening of the A 43, there will not be the closure of the Frejus and Mont Blanc tunnels at the same time: it would be unsustainable», confirmed the French transport minister.
According to reports from Beaune, the A43 motorway should reopen, hopefully, by the end of next week; while for the railway line it will take at least two months.
Assologistica: serious losses, very worried companies
“We are extremely concerned.” This is how Umberto Ruggerone, president of Assologistica, comments on the situation that has arisen at the Alpine passes of Frejus, Gotthard and Brenner, totally or partially interrupted, and with the Mont Blanc tunnel due to close imminently. And he adds: «Logistics companies, those of road and rail transport, and intermodal terminals are suffering serious losses; not to mention the enormous damage that Made in Italy and international trade flows in general are suffering». The president of Assologistica explains that he asked for «an urgent meeting both with the Minister of Transport Salvini, but also with the Minister of Made in Italy Urso in order to be able to give our contribution in finding solutions together and verifying possible interventions for the sector”. After all, he warns, «for our country the flow of goods, by road and by rail, to Europe is vital. These are complex, strategic and delicate systems». And therefore, he concludes, “we are certain that the government will confirm the attention and energy needed towards this fundamental link in the value chain”.
Turin-Lyon, green light to the tender for the Mont Cenis tunnel
On the Turin-Lyon front, on the other hand, it should be noted that the Telt Board of Directors, which met today, gave the go-ahead for the signing of the contract for the construction of the Moncenisio base tunnel in Italy. The contract worth 1 billion euro was awarded to the consortium made up of the Italian Itinera (agent), Ghella and Spie Batignolles. This completes the assignment of all the works for the excavation of the 57.5 km of the railway tunnel under the Alps co-financed by Europe, France and Italy. This was announced by the general manager of Telt Maurizio Bufalini.
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2023-09-01 05:37:30
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