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Drivers in France warned of transport chaos with winter storm on the way

The Local France
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Drivers in France warned of transport chaos with winter storm on the way
File photo: AFP

Storm Gabriel is on its way to France and is set to bring with it violent winds, snow and freezing temperatures, with the country's transport minister warning that there is likely to be major disruption to roads and transport services.

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"This episode is likely to cause major disruption of road networks and transport services," France's minister of transport Elisabeth Borne said on Tuesday.
 
With weather warnings in place in a total of 43 departments in France, the transport minister Elisabeth Borne has also called on motorists to check out the situation on the roads before driving and to follow the instructions of the local authorities.
 
In the Ile-de-France region around Paris, heavy goods vehicles weighing over 7.5 tonnes and those transporting dangerous substances will be banned from the main roads from 9 pm. 
 
Around 5 to 10 cm of snow is expected in most areas and the busy RN 118 road in the Ile-de-France will be closed to all traffic from 3 pm due to expected snowfall. 
 
And police are urging drivers in the Paris region to leave work early on Tuesday with snow fall timed to hit the capital during rush hour. Motorists are also urged not to travel by car on Wednesday unless necessary.
 
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In 2018, an episode of heavy snowfall led to 950 cars being stuck on the RN 118 overnight.
 
Meteo France warned that the "snowy episode could make traffic conditions very difficult", advising drivers to be "very cautious and vigilant" on the roads.
 
School transport services will be suspended on Wednesday across the whole of the Yonne department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France due to the heavy snowfall expected overnight on Tuesday. 
 
On Tuesday it was announced that school transport services will also be suspended in several other departments, including Seine-et-Marne, Essonne, Somme, Ardennes, Aisne and Hauts-de-France.
 
 
Due to strong winds, local authorities in the Landes departmemt announced that the speed limit had been lowered to 80km / h on all roads for all vehicles from 4 pm to 1 am.
 
Meanwhile in Paris where between 5 and 10 centimetres of snow is expected, 32 salt trucks are on standby to salt major highways, ring roads, bus lanes and very steep streets, Paul Simondon at the City of Paris told BFMTV.
 
This article will be updated with more information as we have it throughout the day
 
 
 
 
 

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