Paris pollution alert on Monday

WARM weather and a lack of wind have prompted another pollution alert for the Paris region, with drivers told to cut their vehicle emissions until Monday evening.

The alert issued on Sunday remains in place for the start of the week, with motorway speed limits cut by 20kph across the Ile-de-France.

Police will be pulling over cars and checking they are fully compliant with their contrôle technique.

At-risk groups such as pregnant woman, young children and people with asthma are advised to limit their physical activity. Residential parking in Paris will be free on Monday to encourage motorists to leave their cars at home and take public transport.

Levels of fine PM10 particulates are higher than the safe threshold of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre.

The latest air pollution alert comes less than a month before Paris hosts a major United Nations summit on tackling climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.