With the major national debate due to officially begin this Tuesday, 15 January, several key issues are back on the agenda. These include a highly unpopular government measure: the 80 km/h speed limit on secondary roads. The Home Secretary raised this issue with the newspaper La Dépêche.
The government is giving itself another year to see whether the reduction in the speed limit from 90 to 80 km/h is proving effective. Christophe Castaner is convinced that it is a public health measure: "The 80 km/h speed limit has just one aim: to save lives, and I believe we can all agree on this simple objective."
60 per cent of speed cameras have been "neutralised"
He strongly criticises the behaviour of some “yellow vests” who have not hesitated to damage speed cameras: “Those who vandalise speed cameras at night bear a very heavy responsibility." According to the Home Secretary, 60 per cent of them were "neutralised".
But whilst the 80 km/h speed limit does not demonstrate a genuine reduction in road deaths, Christophe Castaner has announced: "So yes, we’ll be able to go back to 90 km/h". An unexpected statement, given how much the government and its Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, are committed to this bill.