France bans short haul domestic flights in favour of train travel. By Lottie Lamb.

France has been given the green light to ban short haul domestic flights.

The European Commission has approved the move which will abolish flights between cities that are linked by a train journey of less than 2.5 hours. …

The changes are part of the country’s 2021 Climate Law.

France is also cracking down on the use of private jets for short journeys in a bid to make transport greener and fairer for the population.

Transport minister Clément Beaune said the country could no longer tolerate the super rich using private planes while the public are making cutbacks to deal with the energy crisis and climate change. …

Private jets have been a source of outrage lately, as the city-hopping exploits of celebrities and billionaires come to light. A jet belonging to Steven Spielberg burned around €117,000 worth of fuel in the two months since June, according to flight tracking data. …

As part of President Macron’s plea for “collective sobriety” in energy use, French citizens are also being encouraged to trade in their cars for electric bikes.

A maximum of €4,000 is available to low-income households in low-emission zones to subsidise the switch, with smaller amounts to help wealthier citizens.

Last week’s extension to ‘Le Plan Vélo’ — which launched last year — is intended to help the French catch up with the bike-loving Dutch, Germans and Danes.

The aim is to get 9 per cent of the country on two-wheels by 2024, compared to the current proportion of 3 per cent (the Netherlands boasts 27 per cent cyclists).

Faulty climate models have consequences.