PARIS (Reuters) -Farmers blocked one of France’s main motorways linking Paris with the northern city of Lille, the Benelux and Britain on Friday, causing kilometres of traffic jams as a nationwide protest movement caused the first major traffic disruptions around the French capital.
Local farming unions have called for roadblocks in and around Paris on Friday to step up pressure on the government, which the farmers accuse of not doing enough to help them cope with what they say are low food prices and excessive regulation.
The government is rushing to ease tensions with farmers as tractor convoys are expected to paralyse traffic around the capital in the afternoon, just before the prime minister is expected to address their concerns in a broadcast speech.
The Paris region branch of the FNSEA union plans to set up 11 roadblocks on the main commuter axes to all sides of Paris, including the A6, A10 and A13 highways, according to a planning document seen by Reuters
The roadblock on the A1 north of Paris lead to traffic jams of around 4 km (2.5 miles) in the morning, according to the transport ministry’s online service Bison Fute.
French media reported that farmers had also set up first roadblocks on traffic axes in the Essonne department south of Paris in the early morning hours.
The government said it would announce immediate measures aimed at cooling the farmer outrage later on Friday, with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal expected to speak in the afternoon.
So far, the government has not specified when and where Attal is due to speak or what measures could be announced.
(Reporting by Yves Herman and Gus Trompiz; writing by Tassilo Hummel;Editing by Tomasz Janowski and GV De Clercq)
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