France to run trial of 80 km/h limits on three roads

The French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve has announced a two-year trial of a lower 80km/h limit on roads with no central separation, down from 90 km/h.

The test will be conducted on three stretches of road, covering a total of 81km. The move was part of a package of measures announced in January in response to a rise in deaths on French roads of 4% last year.

Victims groups have been calling for all 90km/h limit roads to be reduced to 80km/h, a measure that could save 400 lives a year.

Cazeneuve said the trial would be the basis for a decision on wider application of the new limit.

See: Les Echos (FR)