Paris one-way traffic trouble

A dispute between two mayors in Paris has brought traffic chaos to the city.

Confused motorists didn't know which way to turn when they saw two different one-way system signs.

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Commuters had a nasty surprise on Monday when they found one of the main routes into the French capital was blocked. Drivers heading the other way were confronted with "no entry" signs in all directions. For two days there was chaos among bemused drivers at the point where the two rival systems converged, with all traffic forced down one side road.

Vox pops: "It's a real mess now for a lot of people who are forced to go by car to their work and go back to their home by car."

"It's difficult to go to work. We lost between 15 or 20 minutes, per day."

The confusion followed a decision by the mayor of Levallois Patrick Balkany, from France's ruling right-wing party. He wanted to introduce a one-way system to free up traffic through his borough. Fearing an overspill into his district, the mayor of Clichy Gilles Catoire, a socialist, brought in a one-way system running the other way. The local prefect, representing the French state, has issued a decree ordering the immediate return of two-way traffic in Clichy, accusing its mayor of provoking serious disorder. Mr Catoire is refusing to back down, saying he'll challenge the decision in court.

Alasdair Sandford, BBC News, Paris

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