Disrupted Paris transport leads to increase in bike and scooter accidents

Disruptions within Paris’ public transport network due to strikes over pension reform have caused an increase in the number of accidents for users of bicycles and scooters.

According to a euronews report quoting figures from the Interior Ministry, the number of accidents for cyclists and scooter users has risen by mrore than a quarter during the strike. The Interior Ministry figures show that there were 131 accidents during the first two weeks of December – a 31 per cent increase from the weekly average of the month before the strike began.

During the same time, the number of injuries increased by 26 per cent against the average, with 17 people being hospitalised – also a higher than average number.

The strikes have not only disrupted public transport services, train lines and flights, but created hundreds of kilometres of congestion in the French capital. Now into its third week, the strike saw 20 per cent of flights cancelled from Paris Orly airport on 17 December, while high speed TGV services have just 25 percent of services running. Eight metro lines remain completely closed with other running only limited services aside from the automated lines. The city’s tram network is also severely disrupted, with no lines running regular services, but Lines 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 running all day with fewer services than normal.