FRANCE: French and Italian protesters blocked all traffic on both sides of the Mont Blanc tunnel yesterday, condemning the first full reopening of the key Alpine link since a deadly 1999 fire.
In France, some 2,000 local residents and environmental activists barred both cars and trucks from entering the tunnel by occupying a traffic circle at the foot of the entrance ramp, a few kilometers from central Chamonix.
At midnight, all vehicles except those carrying hazardous materials and those thought to be highly pollutant were authorised to enter the tunnel under the 4,807-metre Mont Blanc, western Europe's highest peak.
But while police said a handful of trucks crossed into France from Italy during the night not one made the 11.6-km trip in the opposite direction.
A few cars trickled through the tunnel into France early yesterday, and were allowed to pass by protesters, but regional traffic authorities advised Italy-bound motorists and hauliers to use the Frejus tunnel further south.
In Italy, about 150 demonstrators dumped bales of hay on the road leading to the tunnel, a crucial route for Italian exports.
"This means of transport continues to devastate the environment. We must respond with civil disobedience," said Italian Greens MP Mr Paolo Cento.
Militants from the Association for the Respect of Mont Blanc, who wore white jumpsuits with "No trucks allowed" emblazoned across the back, led the French protest watched by about 100 police.
Greens MP Mr Noel Mamere and the Chamonix Mayor, Mr Michel Charlet, joined the protest, with Mr Mamere, a former presidential candidate, saying: "You can only lose a battle if you don't show up." Activists say increased truck traffic is damaging the environment and have denounced the regulations on hazardous materials as too loose.
Italy's tourism and trucking industries have suffered, with the Transport Minister, Mr Pietro Lunardi estimating in April that the country paid €2.58 billion euros in extra export costs due to the tunnel closure.
In March 1999, a fire broke out on a lorry carrying flour and margarine through the tunnel, killing 39 people and forcing authorities to close the Alpine link.
The tunnel reopened to car traffic in March after three years of renovations costing €300 million euros to improve security, and opened to trucks weighing less than 19 tonnes in April.
Heavy trucks with up to four axles were allowed to use the Mont Blanc tunnel last month, a move that sparked protests in both France and Italy. - (AFP)