The route between Audun-le-Tiche and Esch-sur-Alzette is set to undergo a number of changes, with one of the train lines being cancelled. The respective station, which is operated by CFL although located on French soil, will also be closed. This means that what used to be a five-minute train ride will now be handled by buses and car traffic. People lament that this is bad for the environment and will increase the number of vehicles on the roads.
Protestors therefore demand that a secured cycling lane will be installed to connect both municipalities. Due to their proximity, a lot of people regularly commute from one location to their other, which means that the roads are pretty busy during rush hours.
Esch-sur-Alzette Mayor George Mischo commented on the situation: "We receive a significant number of demands for cycling subsidies, which is why the council met on Monday to discuss potential steps. Unfortunately, there are some good ideas of which we know they cannot be implemented."
Most solutions are blocked either by lacking infrastructure or the road traffic act. Mayor Mischo noted that administrative procedures render the establishment of a cycling connection with Audun-le-Tiche difficult: "As soon as the city council has voted for a proposal, it can still take up to three months for us to receive the permit from the government. I'm afraid that or French neighbours take even longer." Nevertheless, the municipality of Esch-sur-Alzette has committed €400,000 to building and restoring cycling lanes this year.
