A Glance around France: Pesticide protests planned and a huge swindle in the north

Nord department swindled 

Local authorities in the northern department of Nord are counting the cost of a massive swindle.

A conman who posed as an accountant for a road works company swindled some €800,000 from the authority after filing fake invoices.

The president of the council Jean-René Lecerf tried to give an explanation for how the council could be conned for such an amount by saying: "The invoices corresponded to real works being carried out and for the real costs. Everything was credible."

Police have opened up an investigation which they admit is "complex".

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Paris officials to fine motorists and scooter riders in bike lanes

Good news for cyclists in Paris.

The mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced that from now on officials at the Mairie will use 900 CCTV cameras to identify and fine motorists and scooter riders caught in bike lanes.

"We can see far too many motorbikes and scooters in lanes reserved for cyclists and too many thoughtless drivers who park in bike and bus lanes" Hidalgo said. 

Police in Paris say there are around 200 offences of this type each day caught on camera. How many more are there that are not caught on camera.

Pesticide protests across France 

If you are wondering what all the commotion is outside your local town hall in France on Friday evening it's likely to do with pesticides.

French people are being called to protest at 18.30 in front of their village town hall to protest against the ongoing use of pesticides.

"Pesticides are poisons that destroy everything that lives. They are a tragedy for health," read the text calling on people to demonstrate.

Some 400 protests have been organised so far with over 250,000 vowing o turn up outside their town hall.

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Mini-bus driver to blame for fatal crash at rail crossing

In December last year France was left stunned after six pupils were killed after the minibus they were travelling in was hit by a train at a rail crossing in Millas, in the south west.

While the driver claimed the barrier had been raised at the time of the crash a new report throws doubt on her version of the story and concludes that she broke too late and was unable to stop the mini-bus crashing through the barrier and on to the tracks.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Speed camera fines to bring €1 billion

The amount of money collected from speed camera fines in France is expected to pass the billion euros mark next year.

The expected 12 percent jump in revenue is due in no small part to the motorists being caught out by the drop in the speed limit on secondary roads from 90km/h to 80km/h.

By the end of 2019 there will be some 4,700 speed cameras in France.

Student protests in Rennes and Montpellier

Universities in Rennes and Montpellier will be blocked on October 9th as student unions renew their protests against the government.

Student protests had flared up last spring but then died out in the summer when universities were closed and students headed to the beach.

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