No professional body, however legitimate their demands, has the right to take France hostage Budget Minister Michel Charasse

Five hundred riot squad officers, supported by helicopters, armoured cars and a tank, took four hours to disperse the 150 vehicles jamming the road.

Within hours smaller groups of lorries were massing together again and drivers enforced a two-mile-per-hour go-slow before traffic flow returned to normal.

Two other major protests were successfully broken up near Lyons and south of Arles along with several other smaller barricades.

But 1,000 lorries continue to surround Toulouse and about 150 other blockades remain on main roads and motorways.

By the end of the day an additional 50 roadblocks had appeared.

There is still a lot of popular support for the lorry drivers, who say that the new licence penalty point system - similar to that in the UK - will affect their livelihoods.

This is because penalties will accumulate more quickly through their work.

As supplies of food and petrol to cities are running low, the main French employers' body, CNPF, has warned of the economic costs of the crisis.

The French Government has re-opened negotiations with drivers' unions and employers' representatives.

Britons hoping to travel to France are advised to delay their visits or stick to the 'D' roads - the equivalent of English 'B' roads.

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