FRANCE: French commuters stranded as train drivers go on strike

Record ID: 339913

  • Title: FRANCE: French commuters stranded as train drivers go on strike
  • Date: 24th March 2010
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 23, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PARIS ST LAZARE STATION WITH PASSENGERS VARIOUS INTERIORS OF ST LAZARE STATION WITH PASSENGERS BOARD WITH TRAIN DEPARTURES BOARD READING: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TODAY, TUESDAY MARCH 23, 2010, A PROTEST IS DISRUPTING TRAIN TRAFFIC" MAN SNCF TRAIN STAFF TALKING TO PASSENGERS CLOSE UP OF SNCF STAFF MEMBER DOCUMENT WI
  • Embargoed: 8th April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Employment,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA59823ED2QIFGCEHSEE1WXBNOR
  • Story Text: Train strikes leave commuters stranded in France as unions aim another blow at President Nicolas Sarkozy following his defeat in regional elections.
    Confusion reigned at Paris stations on Tuesday morning (March 23) as national strikes left commuters stranded with up to fifty percent of scheduled services cancelled.
    The actions come as part of a wider strike by civil servants including teachers and postal workers across France as unions aim another blow at President Nicolas Sarkozy following his resounding defeat in regional elections.
    It was a tale of mixed fortunes at the train station Gare St Lazare, with some passengers harder hit than others.
    "I don't know, really. I had to take a train in the other direction to get there. I don't know if there is a train that's coming," Danish passenger Mikkel told Reuters.
    But, things were a little easier for commuter Melanie:
    "All my metro trains were running this morning, my train from here is running every ten minutes. I got here, I missed one and I'll take the next one. So really it hasn't affected me at all today," she said.
    The strike is disrupting trains within the Paris region, medium-distance regional trains elsewhere and high-speed intercity TGV services within France, with some routes expected to run only a 35-percent service.
    Unaffected services include Eurostar trains to and from the United Kingdom, Thalys services to Belgium and Germany and other international trains.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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