French railway services return to normal after strike

French rail services ground to a halt in parts of the country Sunday as workers walked off the job for a third day in a dispute over train staffing levels, stranding holiday travellers.

France 24 reports that “services in the Paris suburbs, the northeastern Champagne-Ardenne region and the southern Occitanie region, which includes Toulouse and Montpellier, were particularly affected.

The state railway company SNCF said most services returned to normal on Monday.

The industrial action began on Friday after a train in northeastern France slammed into a truck at a level crossing, injuring 11 people. The train driver was himself among those hurt but being the sole employee of state railway company SNCF on board had to help take care of passengers.

Unions said the incident highlighted understaffing on trains, notably the absence of ticket inspectors on some lines.

Via France 24

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