Agreement between Italy and France to postpone the closure of the tunnel, originally scheduled from 4 September to 18 December. The last details are missing, it is possible that the works will be postponed to September 2024
The danger of chaos in transport, especially of goods, induced by the closure of Mont Blanc tunnelseems to have been avoided. Or at least transferred to a later time. On the evening of 31 August, the infrastructure ministers of Italy and France, Matteo Salvini and Clément Beaune, reached an agreement for postpone the closure of the tunnel. The final decision will be taken on 4 September (the day on which the closure for works would begin, the duration of which was foreseen until 18 December), when the intergovernmental conference will be held.
Mont Blanc tunnel, postponed closure
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“The Fréjus tunnel closed due to a landslide, Mont Blanc which is in danger of closing due to works, the Gotthard where there was a derailment. We really risk being blocked”. Thus Minister Salvini summed up the situation shortly before speaking with his French colleague. The agreement provides that the works for the reconstruction of the reinforced concrete vault will be rescheduled to avoid the simultaneous closure of the Fréjus and Mont Blanc tunnels. The situation was rapidly spiraling towards collapse. On 31 August, waiting times for entry into the Mont Blanc Tunnel exceeded one hour.