Waste treatment, new prison, mobility… what to remember from the decisions of the Nîmes Métropole council

Waste, one of the most complex skills for Nîmes Métropole. Midi Libre – Fabrice ANDRES Archives

Several points discussed on the agenda of the community council which was held this Tuesday, May 21.

The day after the Feria, a relatively short community council brought together elected officials at the Colosseum. With, however, some notable files.

And, first of all, after greeting the waste collection teams who had a lot to do to make the city clean every morning, an update from Franck Proust on the use of public transport during the five days which brought together aficionados and partygoers in Nîmes. The president of the assembly noted an increase in attendance of +7.4% compared to 2023, quantified by the 81,739 validations of buses and trams. A figure supported by the 8,627 validations on peri-urban shuttles, an increase of 24.6%. "Since the mandate, each year, attendance has increased, last year, the increase was 15 % compared to 2002. I asked that’ ;rsquo;work be carried out with Jean-Marc Campello (vice-president in charge of mobility, Editor's note) to increase frequencies because, according to the first feedback, we are victims of our success", concluded Franck Proust.

New prison, progress

Who, moreover, continued by addressing the delicate subject of the establishment of a new prison : "A new Copil (steering committee) was held in the prefecture in May", announced the president of the Nîmes Agglomeration, indicating that the calibration of 700 places had been confirmed, as had the influence of 17 ha, of which 24 000  nbsp;m2 of built surface. While the public inquiry should be launched next September, this penitentiary center project will be carried out in conjunction with the development of the economic zone of this former Oc’Via base, located between Nîmes, Milhaud and Générac.

Waste, change and newcomers

Générac which is decided at the heart of the news since the mayor of the town will be present this Thursday morning, at the laying of the first stone of the future Saint-Gilles/Générac recycling center, which will open its doors by the end of the year, chemin de Cassagnes, in Saint-Gilles.

Still on the problem of waste treatment, a particularity dating from 2011 will soon be erased: Bernis, Caissargues, Marguerittes and Milhaud were, in fact, the only four municipalities in the ;rsquo;Nîmes agglomeration to see the treatment of their household waste provided by the Sud Rhône environment union, in Bellegarde. Thanks to a "proactive waste reduction policy", engaged since 2022, Sitom Sud Gard will take within its perimeter the 7 000 tonnes corresponding to the incinerable tonnages produced by these four cities. For Nîmes Métropole, the first positive consequence, in addition to the ecological dimension of incineration compared to landfilling, is a saving of 700,000 euros; per year: the salary by the Sud Rhône union was 200 euros; per ton of waste, compared to 40 € per ton via Sitom Sud Gard. Even though these four municipalities are the closest to… the incinerator.

Mobility: towards a rapprochement with Montpellier

This Thursday, May 23, the president of Nîmes M&etropole will be present at the event. the Rabelais room à Montpellier to participate in the first mobility meetings. Wù will be mentioned in particular the Metropolitan Regional Express System (Serm), which Franck Proust qualifies "an opportunity’ in terms of mobility which is played out a large scale N&imes-Montpellier. The project plans, on the perimeter concerned; to strengthen rail services and develop intermodality, as well as soft mobility or shared mobility: coaches & agrave; high level of service, cycle networks, equipment linking several modes of transport or even a single ticket, thus explains Franck Proust, who says he is aware, in particular, of the number of professionals going to work every day à Montpellier or vice versa. And therefore sees with a very good eye that the relocation of the Saint-Cézaire station and its transformation into Multimodal exchange hub, just like the inclusion of Pont du Gard and Feuchères stations in a local networké eacute;.