Paris school trips are allowed again

SCHOOLS in the Paris region and in Picardy have been allowed to organise educational trips again, following a temporary ban imposed following the Charlie Hebdo massacre.

The education ministry says trips can now resume at schools in the affected zones: Paris, Versailles, Créteil and Amiens.

The decision whether to go ahead with a visit rests with the director at each individual school.

Some teaching unions say the relaxed rules have come too early - at a time when the terror threat level in France remains high.

Sebastien Pietrasanta, a Socialist MP in the Hauts-de-Seine suburbs of Paris, told Europe 1: "The terrorist threat is long-lasting, but we must avoid paranoia."

Meanwhile it is reported that the reinforced anti-terror measures in Paris have had an unexpected impact on parking and traffic fines.

New rules mean traffic police on the streets of the French capital must wear a bullet-proof vest, and these are in short supply, pending the delivery of a new order made on January 8.

As a result, fewer officers are on patrol - and Le Figaro says the number of issued fines has plummeted.