Photo: Constantine H. (Flickr)

Paris introduces citywide speed limit

02 September 2021

by Christopher Carey

A speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour (19 miles per hour) has come into force on almost all Parisian streets.

The measure – which was first announced in July – has been introduced to increase traffic safety, create more space for cyclists, reduce noise pollution and contribute to climate protection.

“The point is to reduce the space taken by cars, which involves lowering their speeds,” said Paris Deputy Mayor, David Belliard.

“It is first of all a safety measure, to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable: pedestrians and cyclists. The overwhelming majority of serious or fatal accidents in Paris are caused by cars or heavy goods vehicles.”

Critics have raised questions about whether the move could worsen the city’s rush-hour traffic jams or even lead to an increase in emissions, but city officials have defended their decision, pointing to a survey that showed 59 percent of Parisians were in favour of the new limits.

Prior to the introduction of the new measure, around 60 percent of Parisian roads had a 30 kilometres per hour limit – except main ring roads and highways.

Campaign promise

Since her election in 2014, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has championed the transformation of the city’s streets from a car-centric model to one that prioritises pedestrians and cyclists.

To combat air pollution in the city, Hidalgo oversaw the introduction of Paris Respire (Paris Breathes), in May 2016, which included banning all cars from certain areas of Paris on the first Sunday of the month, as well as making public transport and the city’s bicycle and electric vehicle schemes free for the day.

Other policy changes, including an increase in the price of parking meters; a ban on free parking on certain days; and the conversion of certain sections of a highway along the River Seine into a riverside park have also underscored the city’s efforts to reduce car use.

In January, the mayor also gave the go-ahead to plans to transform the city’s Champs-Élysées into a 1.9 kilometre stretch of greenery featuring tunnels of trees, green spaces and pedestrian zones.

The 15-minute city

As part of her re-election campaign in February 2020, Hidalgo announced plans to transform Paris into a ’15-minute city’ – where residents would be able to reach necessary amenities such as schools, offices, shops, parks, health centre through a 15-minute walk or bike ride – shifting dependency away from cars in order to cut air pollution levels.

Hidalgo has also expanded cycling lanes in the city – introducing 650 kilometres of cycleways since the start of the pandemic – and is pushing ahead with plans to remove 60,000 of the city’s 140,000 street-level parking spaces.

As well as acting as a deterrent to drivers, the new speed limit coincides with a wider movement to control speed in cities globally.

In May, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for stricter speed limits in urban areas to reduce road deaths.

Image: Constantine H.

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