They do not intend to release the pressure. After two demonstrations on September 10 and 17 in front of the airport and the prefecture of Ille-et-Vilaine, the Vernois collective against noise pollution is again calling for mobilization this Saturday. These inhabitants of Vern-sur-Seiche, a town located south-east of Rennes, are fed up with the thirty planes that pass over their heads every day. They were already used to the noise of aircraft landing at nearby Rennes-Saint-Jacques airport. But since the spring, they also have to endure the din of the engines on takeoff. “Even with the bay window closed, it’s hell!” “, assures Virginie Chevallier, member of the collective.
The nuisances started at the end of March when the take-off trajectories from the airport were modified on an experimental basis to relieve the inhabitants of the neighboring town of Noyal-Châtillon-sur-Seiche. A new air corridor was then defined so that the planes pass over agricultural land to “reduce by two thirds the number of inhabitants affected”, according to the prefecture of Ille-et-Vilaine. “But this corridor is not respected by certain companies”, protests Stéphane Labbé, mayor of Vern-sur-Seiche.
Two Seveso sites in the town
Several times alerted, the authorities claim to have asked the airlines to reduce take-off speeds in order to facilitate the rotation of the aircraft and thus avoid overflights of the town of Vern-sur-Seiche. “It worked, but only for two weeks,” says Virginie Chevallier. Airplanes now do what they want. »
This Wednesday, the subject of noise pollution was again discussed during a meeting at the town hall of Vern in the presence of members of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC), the Departmental Directorate of Territories and the Sea (DDTM) and the prefecture. “They recognized that it was not the right solution and that things had to be reviewed, but that’s all”, regrets Stéphane Labbé. In three weeks, a new meeting should take place between the elected officials and the prefecture before the analysis of the results of the experiment is presented on November 16. “I think this file will take a long time to settle because of the administrative slowness,” sighs the mayor.
In addition to noise pollution, the latter is also worried about the overflight of his town at very low altitude by planes. Because with the Antargaz site and the Total oil depot, Vern-sur-Seiche is classified in the Seveso zone. With all the risks that entails. “I don’t even dare to imagine if an air disaster were to occur,” says Virginie Chevallier. Contacted, neither the Ille-et-Vilaine prefecture nor the General Directorate of Civil Aviation answered our questions.
Traffic took off again this summer
After two bleak years due to the epidemic, Rennes airport regained some color this summer. In July and August, it welcomed 123,000 passengers, three quarters of its traffic before the pandemic. Among these travelers, 30% took an international connection, a level comparable to that observed before the health crisis. It was the line linking the Breton capital to London-Gatwick airport that was the most successful this summer.