Friends of the Earth Birmingham Action Briefing Apr/May 98

Pyrenean Bears Need Help

The Pyrenean Asp Valley, one of the last resorts of wild bears, is threatened by the road E7, part of which is bound to be built between Pau and Somport in France. The plans for this 80 kms (50 miles) long track include 25 kms of motorway and a tunnel of 6 kms length. Altogether, the cost is projected at 5 billion Francs (about £ 500m).

Many locals of the Asp Valley are protesting against the plans for years, some 3,000 have bought land that is meant to be used for the road. Back in 1995, the French Prime Minister Balladur (formerly President of the "Societe des Autoroutes du Mont-Blanc"!) gave a special order to continue with this and another road project, the A400. Last year, the Prime Minister's order referring to the A400 was outruled by a court.

For the Asp Valley, 1998 will be a crucial year, and it is very important to support the road protestors as much as possible. If the road building cannot be stopped, the Asp Valley will to face an awful lot of destruction and finally some 8,000-9,000 vehicles per day on the new road, many of which would be lorries. Since the local economy is highly dependent on tourism, you can imagine that hardly any of the locals are in favour of the road plans!

An association of numerous local initiatives and groups, which is supported by French Friends of the Earth (Les Amis de la Terre) and many others, is campaigning for a democratisation of the decision process (i.e. to abandon the road plans) and for prohibiting any heavy lorry traffic through the Pyreneans, following the example of Switzerland and Austria. They are organising a big gathering on 2 May in the Asp Valley.

If you want to support the Asp Valley road protestors, please write to your MEP. Further information can be obtained from: Collectif Alternatives Pyreneennes a l'Axe Europeen E7 (Pyrenean alternatives association to the European E7 route), B.P. 131, 64400 Oloron-Sainte-Marie, France, fax +33 559 399013.

Charlie Blackfield