The prefecture estimates the damage caused by farmers' blockades on the A64 motorway and departmental roads at over one million euros.

The prefecture of Pyrénées-Atlantiques announced on Tuesday that the cost of the blockades carried out for the past ten days by angry farmers exceeds one million euros. In a press release, state services denounced the undeclared gatherings and "unacceptable damage," particularly on the A64 motorway, a strategic route between Toulouse and Bayonne.

“To date, an initial assessment indicates that the overall cost of these blockades amounts to more than one million euros,” states the Pau prefecture. This estimate includes, in particular, the cleaning and repair of roads, losses incurred by highway companies, the recycling of waste left on public roads, and the repair of damaged speed cameras. However, it does not include indirect economic impacts, such as lost revenue for certain local businesses, including ski resorts.

Hundreds of tons of waste burned

Authorities have detailed extensive property damage. "Illegal dumping (waste, tires, manure, asbestos) has been identified in front of several toll plazas, on highways, and on departmental roads, and damage has been noted. Two speed cameras have also been destroyed, and nineteen have been rendered inoperable," the prefecture stated, also mentioning hundreds of tons of waste burned. It further reported an "acceleration of the damage," citing in particular the dumping of dead animals in Pau and the deterioration of the A64 motorway's asphalt at Urt/Briscous.

The blockades began on December 12th to protest the mass slaughter of cattle following the detection of a case of lumpy skin disease (LSD). While the Basque union ELB, affiliated with the Confédération Paysanne (Farmers' Confederation), announced it was "suspending the occupation of the highway" in Briscous in order to "maintain our strength," the Coordination Rurale (Rural Coordination) indicated that it intended to continue the mobilization.