The 80 km / h "did not cost 3.8 billion euros, but 10 million"

The establishment of this summer speed limit at 80 km / h did not cost 3.8 billion euros, "but ten million," said Friday the delegation to the road safety, rising against the dissemination of "different figures and analyzes" on the subject.

The lowering of the speed limit from 90 to 80 km / h, a very controversial measure by motorists and motorcyclists who denounce in particular the "racket" of the State, has been in force since July 1 on 400,000 kilometers of dual routes direction without central separator (barrier, land-fill). This measure, which was decided by the executive to try to curb road mortality, according to the government could save up to 400 lives per year.

Development of Road Safety. On Thursday, the "independent evaluation committee", an unofficial committee, published a report "costs / benefits of measuring 80 km / h". According to this document, the measure represents a cost "of 3.8 billion euros per year" and "calculations show that (...) less than a hundred deaths are likely to be 'avoided' on the network at 80 km / h ". "The reduction of the speed to 80 km / h will unfortunately not achieve the government goal of a fall of 400 killed on the roads concerned," said Jean-Luc Michaud, chairman of the committee.

[Release] The 80 km / h rating is serious business ➡ https://t.co/XEmqP3TYqDpic.twitter.com/2E4WPwg9ix

"This measure absolutely did not cost 3.8 billion euros, but 10 million (cost of installing the new panels)," retorted Friday the Delegation for Road Safety, which depends on the Ministry of the Interior in a statement. "The government has always been transparent about the cost of this measure, and communicated as soon as the announcement of the measure," continues the delegation, which states that "it is not today possible to assess reliably the balance sheet of this measure ".

Many radars degraded in recent weeks. An evaluation is underway, with the participation of the National Interministerial Observatory of Road Safety (ONISR), "body labeled for its independence by the authority of the public statistics" and its first results will be made public "end of January 2019" adds the statement. Covered with paint, "packaged" in plastic or burned, road radars are subject to many degradations in recent weeks, in the midst of the movement of "yellow vests".