On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 19:43:24 GMT, "Richard J."
wrote:

This is actually off-topic for this NG as it concerns the Paris Métro,
but I couldn't resist the attention-grabbing headline.

"There will be no more drivers on Line 1 from 2010. STIF [the Parisian
equivalent of TfL] has just given its green light to the project to
automate this line, ... the busiest in the Paris network with nearly 145
million passengers per year. Advantages for users of the line will
include increased frequency of trains, additional capacity of 6% in peak
hours, the possibility of running trains for a good part of the night
... But, above all, the introduction of driverless trains will allow
them to run even during strikes."


French strikers tend to behave a bit belligerently when they get their
gander up.

I was working in St Nazaire a few weeks back and there was a dispute
going on with the local bus company.
One of the tactics used to draw attention to this was to set fire to
the Bus lane surface outside the Railway station using old tyres.
They also did the same at the entrance/exit to the Bus depot.
The tarmac was still smouldering 15 hours later.
I think they were demanding a shorter working week.
G.Harman.