The Paris Administrative Court of Appeal considered that the “major public interest” of the project allows “to derogate from the provisions (…) of the environmental code concerning the protection of animal species”.
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The Paris Administrative Court of Appeal validated Thursday, April 28 the continuation of the construction of the future CDG Express fast train between Paris and Roissy airport, thus reversing a previous court decision. In its judgment, the Court “considers, contrary to what the administrative court had judged, that the project is justified by an imperative reason of major public interest”. The public interest therefore allows, according to the Court “to derogate from the provisions (…) of the environmental code concerning the protection of animal species”.
The dispute that brought this case to court concerns more particularly the portion of new tracks which extends over 4.4 kilometers at Mitry-Mory (Seine-et-Marne). This town led by the communist Charlotte Blandiot-Faride had attacked the prefectural decree authorizing the project to cross areas where protected species live.
The progress of the site was initially disrupted by a judgment of the administrative court of Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis), which had stopped the work at the beginning of November 2020 by canceling this derogation. The judges then considered that the infrastructure was not “essential” to the point of destroying this biodiversity. In fact, the project leaders had quickly obtained authorization to resume work pending the decision on the merits.
In the eyes of opponents of the project, including left-wing elected officials and environmental protection associations, “the train of the rich” (the ticket should cost 24 euros) is built to the detriment of everyday public transport. The CDG Express construction site is a 32 km link, which must directly link the Gare de l’Est in Paris in 20 minutes and Roissy airport, with a train every quarter of an hour.