European Metropolis of Lille
| European Metropolis of Lille | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Nord-Pas de Calais |
| Department | Nord |
| No. of communes | 85 |
| Established | 22 December 1967 |
| Seat | Lille |
| Government | |
| • President | Damien Castelain |
| • Term of office | 2014–present |
| Area | |
| • Total | 611.45 km2 (236.08 sq mi) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total |
1,119,877 (20.4% in the city of Lille) |
| • Density | 1,832/km2 (4,740/sq mi) |
| Budget | 1,7 Millions € (2012) |
| Website | MEL |
| ¹ Source for the budget | |
The European Metropolis of Lille (French: Métropole européenne de Lille) is the intercommunal structure gathering the commune of Lille and that part of the Lille metropolitan area that lies in France.
History
The Urban Community was founded in 1967, its first president was Augustin Laurent. Then, in 1971, Arthur Notebart, Deputy Mayor of Lomme succeeded him until the election of Pierre Mauroy in 1989. After the March 2008 municipal elections, each city council will send delegates to the urban community, a total of 170 voting members. In April 2008, the new president will be elected on a majority vote defined at 816 votes. It will be a cause for intense lobbying throughout the 85 cities and villages. One key issue will be on the investment priorities for the 2008/2014 period, namely Transport, Housing and the Environnement. Newly re-elected mayor of Lille, socialist Martine Aubry, will try to impose a new 800m euro stadium in the eastern part of the community, which is opposed by three major mayors of her own party, who consider the project as misplaced and too expensive.
On January 1, 2015, the Metropolis replaces the Urban Community in accordance with a law of January 2014.[1]
Responsibilities
Local public transport
The Metropolis is responsible for the co-ordination of Transpole, the private sector company that operates a public transport network throughout the Métropole. The network comprises buses, trams and a driverless metro system, all of which are operated under the Transpole name. The Lille Metro is a VAL system (véhicule automatique léger = light automated vehicle) that opened on 16 May 1983, becoming the first automatic metro line in the world. The metro system has two lines, with a total length of 45 km and 60 stations. The tram system consists of two interurban tram lines, connecting central Lille to the nearby communities of Roubaix and Tourcoing, and has 45 stops. 68 urban bus routes cover the metropolis, 8 of which reach into Belgium.[2]
Cross-border issues
The Metropolis encompasses only the French part of the metropolitan area of Lille. The other part of the metropolitan area is on Belgian territory and outside of the scope of the Metropolis. The Eurometropolis Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai is a transnational structure founded on 28 January 2008[3] to overcome this problem. This community crosses borders and connect Lille with the nearby Belgian cities Kortrijk, Mouscron and Tournai.
Communes
The 85 communes of the Metropolis are:
References
- ↑ (French) Loi n° 2014-58 du 27 janvier 2014 de modernisation de l'action publique territoriale et d'affirmation des métropoles
- ↑ "Travel & Transport". La mairie de Lille. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
- ↑ "Eurometropolis official website". Retrieved 2015-02-24.
External links
Coordinates: 50°38′14″N 3°03′47″E / 50.63722°N 3.06306°E