Atosca fined 863,500 euros for A69 motorway construction violations

Atosca, the concessionaire for the A69 motorway project between Toulouse and Castres, has been ordered to pay 863,500 euros to the French Treasury. The fine stems from the failure to comply with obligations regarding the authorized construction perimeter and environmental prescriptions.

Following a criminal investigation, inspectors from the Office français de la biodiversité (OFB) found that several requirements of a previous court order were not met. The order had originally required the company to halt work in unauthorized areas and implement conservatory measures. The judge of liberties and detention set the total amount for these penalties on September 7.

Opponents of the motorway project, including the collective ‘La Voie est libre’, have criticized the sanction as “completely insufficient,” arguing that such fines do not deter continued unauthorized work. Atosca has expressed a “disagreement” regarding the interpretation and application of the rules, noting that the final amount is significantly lower than the prosecutor's initial request.