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Motorists be aware - the speed limit on a busy stretch of one French city's ring road has been cut by 20kph until the end of the year.

The speed limit was reduced to 70kph on Monday, April 29, along the Lyon périphérique from Porte de Valvert to the junction with the A7 motorway in Saint Fons as part of a trial.

"The decrease in traffic speed has a significant effect on nitrogen dioxide emissions," the local authority said, adding that "the other positive effects" will be the reduction of noise pollution for 30,000 nearby properties.

Travel time will increase by two minutes over the entire route, officials said.

An assessment on the impact of the trial will be made at the end of the year, when it will be decided whether to make the speed reduction permanent along the stretch, which is used by 150,000 vehicles every day.