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Why the French prime minister is being sued over speed bumps

The Local France
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Why the French prime minister is being sued over speed bumps
A speed limit sign at 30 km per hour below a sign for a speed bump in Grenoble, France. (Photo by JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT / AFP)

Three French ministers, including the Prime Minister, are being sued over 'too high' speed bumps by a motoring organisation which claims they endanger safety and increase pollution.

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The association "For a Serene and Sustainable Mobility" (Pour une mobilité sereine et durable) has filed a complaint against French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, along with Minister of Environment Christophe Béchu and Minister of Transport Clément Beaune, for endangerment and inaction, according to reporting by Ouest France.

The organisation's lawyer, Rémy Josseaume, said that the subject of their complaint is the "general laxity" with which speed bumps have been implemented across the country.

The group also cited an increase in pollution as a result of the non-standard bumps, which explains why the ministers of transport and environment were targeted in the grievance.

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According to RTL, the organisation has previously attempted to file complaints over "approximately 450,000 speed bumps of all types that do not comply with the regulations." This most recent complaint has been filed with the Court of Justice of the Republic, accusing the ministers of "deliberately endangering the lives of others."

The association cites a study conducted over the summer, which found that at least a third of French speed bumps are out of compliance. 

"There are particular consequences linked to noise problems, issues with cracks in certain houses" said Josseaume said to RTL. "These are extremely significant nuisances for fuel consumption and in terms of CO2 emissions."

These findings have been supported by the Drivers Defence League found that "standard speed bumps increase fuel consumption by 10.5 to 13 percent; whereas, non-standard ones increase consumption by 26 to 28 percent," the group told Ouest France in 2021.

"For a Serene and Sustainable Mobility" hopes to see all of the non-compliant speed bumps fixed, meaning that they should not exceed ten centimetres in height, four metres in length, and that they should only be installed zones where the speed limit is below 30km/h. 

In addition to the complaint citing endangerment, Josseaume also told RTL that an appeal was filed against the State with the administrative court over inaction and a "serious failure to meet its obligations to combat pollution." 

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