Dutch travelers told to prepare for major strikes in France

The ANWB is asking Dutch people in France to think twice about driving on Wednesday. Strikes are expected in the country, and they could lead to roads and petrol stations being blocked. “Anyone who doesn’t absolutely need to be traveling in France on Wednesday, September 10, would be better off postponing the trip or leaving a day earlier.”

The rally was initially organized and distributed anonymously. “We block everything” is the slogan, directed against the policies of President Emmanuel Macron and the austerity measures of his current prime minister, François Bayrou, who recent reports claim is set to resign from his position.

The exact size of the protest is currently unclear. Intelligence services estimate that there could be as many as 100,000 demonstrators. The question is also where. According to French media, there is a notably strong presence of “we block everything” in the west of the country and in the Rhône Valley.

Several unions had already scheduled a day of protests on September 18. Some of the more radical unions now plan on joining the We block everything protests.

A spokesperson for ANWB warned anyone deciding to drive that they should be well-prepared. “Make sure that your telephone is charged, bring food and drink for the journey, and make sure your gas tank isn’t empty.”

According to French authorities, “Bloquons tout,” as the protests is called in French, is poorly organized and the movement has little structure, ANWB reported.

This makes it difficult to predict where blockades will occur and what their impact will be. “People traveling through France will definitely notice this,” a spokesperson said. He expects blockades at, among other places, toll booths and fuel depots. “Emergency services will not be able to reach everywhere easily. So it will be harder to assist in case of a breakdown.”

A spokesperson for Eurostar says it is not yet clear whether the announced actions in France will affect train services. For now, international trains are running on schedule. “But we don’t know what will happen. We will monitor the situation tomorrow, and if there are blockades, we will do what we can.”

Business association evofenedex warned shippers and carriers about the possibility of strikes in France on Wednesday. These could lead to blockades of roads, distribution centers, and fuel depots. Evofenedex advises companies to take potential chaos in the country into account in their logistics planning.

“Entrepreneurs would be wise to take possible delays and blockades into account and adjust their planning if necessary,” said evofenedex. “Where the actions will take place and how long they will last is still unknown at this point. The actions are not centrally organized, and there are no spokespersons available."

The industry association Transport and Logistics Netherlands (TLN) is also warning carriers about disruptions on the road. Transport companies would be wise to take precautionary measures, the organization said in a message to its members. “Such as planning alternative routes, adjusting deliveries in time, and closely monitoring the situation,” TLN advises calling the emergency number 112 if the driver or the cargo faces a threatening situation.