ROAD, rail and air transport will be severely disrupted today as unions stage their sixth major industry-wide day of strike action in as many weeks.
According to a CSA poll, 71 per cent of people support today's strike. There are 250 demonstrations planned around France.
Several thousand petrol stations have run out of fuel as strikes at refineries and fuel depot blockades continue.
A draft law that will push the legal retirement age from 60 to 62 is due to be voted by the Senate tomorrow.
President Sarkozy said yesterday: "It is perfectly normal and natural that [the pensions reform] has caused worry and opposition.
"This reform is essential and France has committed to putting it into place."
Petrol : 2,500 petrol stations are currently dry – about one in six. About a third of the country’s 4,800 hypermarket service stations have run out of fuel.
The north-west is the worst affected, plus the areas around Lyon, Marseille and Strasbourg.
All 12 refineries in France have renewed their strike action and several depots remain blockaded. The préfets in the Ardennes and Marne departments have asked motorists to "limit their travel as much as possible".
Schools and universities: About 10 per cent of teachers are expected to take part in today's strike, lower than previous days of action.
Almost 300 lycée students were arrested yesterday as protests turned violent. According to the education ministry, about 260 schools were blocked by students yesterday – 950 according to unions.
Twelve of France’s 83 universities are on strike and five are completely blockaded.
Air travel: The French civil aviation authority, DGAC, says anyone travelling should check with their airline first, as cancellations and delays are likely throughout France.
Half of flights via Paris Orly are cancelled and 30 per cent at Charles de Gaulle.
Air France says it will run all its scheduled long-haul flights, but has warned of last-minute delays and cancellations on shorter routes.
Trains: Unions say more than a third of train staff will be striking today. The SNCF has reminded passengers that tickets will be accepted on any valid route and anyone wishing to cancel can do so without a penalty. Here are the latest traffic estimates.
TGVs: 60 per cent of services into and out of Paris are running, but only a quarter of province-province routes bypassing the capital.
TERs: Big regional differences, but the nationwide average is one train in two cancelled. The SNCF says it cannot guarantee connections between TER and TGV services.
Corail, Téoz and Intercités: About 40 per cent of trains are running. However there are no sleeper trains running tonight.
Transilien: About two thirds of trains are operating during rush hours.
Eurostar: Running a normal service. Thalys is also running after yesterday’s Belgian rail strike, with nine out of 10 trains operating as normal.
In Paris:Near-normal service on metro, bus and trams. RER A running two thirds of trains and RER B only half. No connecting trains at the Gare du Nord.
Elsewhere: Public transport will be disrupted in 32 towns and cities, significantly fewer than 85 that took part last week. They are: Angers, Angoulême, Annemasse, Annonay, Antibes, Avignon, Belfort, Besançon, Blois, Bourges, Calais, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Lorient, Lyon, Marseille, Maubeuge, Montluçon, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nantes, Nice, Pau, Rennes, La Rochelle, Rouen, Royan, Saint-Nazaire, Strasbourg, Toulon and Toulouse.
Find out more online:
SNCF
InfoLignes
Transilien
TER
Live train departure boards
Aéroports de Paris
Useful phone numbers:
Mainline trains: 0805 90 36 35
Transilien: 0805 70 08 05
RATP: 08 05 15 11 11
