The A24 a new autoroute between Amiens and Belguim

[Hedley Malloch]

Tosday's La Voix du Nord carries the latest news of the planned A24, a new autoroute linking the A16 at Amiens with the Belgian border. The choice of routes has been narrowed to four, three of which are considered to be realistic. The first is Amiens-Doullens-St.Pol-Lillers-Hazebrouk. The seconds Amiens-east of Doullens-Bethune-Merville-Steenvoorde. The third is Amiens-Nouex-les-Mines-Bethune-Armentières. The fourth route invovles a road through Arras and Lens, but this is no longer considered realistic

The choice will be narrowed to two at the end of this year and a final choice made in 2006. Whatever the route it will be about 120 kilometres long, cost a billion euros and be open for business sometime between 2013-15.

You can see the map of the affected area on http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/vdn/journal/dos...e_flandre.phtml

[Paul Reed]

Thanks Hedley - first time I have seen a map of this. It may well cover some important battlefield areas, and areas of old front line in the ground north of the Somme to Arras. Will be interesting to see what transpires; I presume CWGC are on the ball about this, as there are many cemeteries in the shaded area on that map.

[squirrel]

According to a newspaper article today out of the 5 proposed routes there are two preferred options for the new motorway, the southerly routes, and these will affect the Indian Memorial at Port Arthur near Neuve- Chapelle and the Le Touret Memorial. Thiepval was to have been in danger but this has now been "saved".

There are up to 12 cemeteries/memorials which will be at risk.

[GTS]

The newspaper article was in tuesday's Express, there was a letter in wednesday's Express from Mike Johnson who is the Deputy Director General of the CWGC saying that they are fully aware of the A24 proposal. He says

"The Commission is being fully consulted over the proposed route of the A24 and at this stage we anticipate no threat to cemetries or memorials.

In the past , the French authorities have done everything in their power to accomodate the commission and we remain confident that, should this proposal proceed, they will be as supportive of our work as ever."

Hopefully that should clear things up a little and lay a few worries to rest.