Place des Moulins public lift plan abandoned by government
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
A proposed public lift to improve access between Place des Moulins and the hillside above has been dropped, leaving transport difficulties unresolved.
The National Council has confirmed that a planned public lift connecting Place des Moulins with the surrounding hillside neighbourhoods will not go ahead, a decision that emerged during discussions on the State's budget. The project had been put forward as a response to long-standing complaints from residents about the steep walk between the square and the quarters above, an area popular with pedestrians but poorly served by lifts or escalators compared with other parts of the Rocher and Monte-Carlo.
With the lift option now off the table, the government will need to find alternative ways of easing access in the area, though no replacement scheme has yet been detailed. The timing is notable because redevelopment plans for the wider Place des Moulins sector are moving towards consultation with property owners, meaning any decision on pedestrian access will need to be factored into those discussions rather than resolved separately.
For residents in the surrounding buildings, many of whom are older or rely on the square as their main route down towards Larvotto and the coast, the lack of a lift leaves an existing daily inconvenience unaddressed for now. Property owners preparing for the consultation process will also be watching closely to see whether access improvements are eventually built into the redevelopment itself.