The largest theme park in operation in Germany, Europa-Park, has shelved plans to build a cable car that would run across the Franco-German border after pressure from environmental groups not to go ahead with it.

The theme park had planned to run the cable car, labelled 'Friendship Car', across the River Rhine from Rust to Alsace, over Europa-Park itself and went public in November, presenting it to French President Emmanuel Macron and the premier of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann.

Its management has now said, however, that it will not apply or the project's approval for another five years and that it will instead consult with the environmentalists that were opposed to it in that period on the idea. The main concern for those activists was that the cable car would cross over a nature reserve.

"We want to solve unresolved issues, particularly those concerning conservation, together," said Europa-Park CEO Michael Mack.

National Nature Conservation Union chairman Johannes Enssle countered: "It is good that the Europa-Park is now entering into a break with its cable plans in order to seek dialogue with all those involved."