Bloomberg Citylab: Paris Will Ban Through Traffic in City Center -
Mayor Anne Hidalgo's latest effort to rein in car use and fight pollution would prevent non-residents from driving across the French capital's historic heart in 2022. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-13/new-paris-car-ban-will-target-through-traffic)
QuoteIn an announcement Wednesday, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo set an audacious new benchmark in her ongoing campaign to reduce car use across the French capital: a ban on most vehicle traffic crossing the city center in 2022.
QuoteThe plan would stop through traffic from a large zone covering Paris' core, to cut pollution and noise and free up more space for trees, cycle lanes and pedestrian areas. A public consultation for the plan launched this week.
QuoteThe new zone would not ban cars altogether: It would still permit motorized access to the zone's residents (including short-term hotel guests), to people with disabilities, and to vehicles used for public transit, deliveries or services. The new rules would nonetheless make it illegal to drive across the city center without stopping. That would cover about 55% of total traffic – more than 100,000 cars – passing through this zone on average per day, the city says.
This would lower traffic volumes by marginal amounts per street. 100,000 vehicles sounds a lot until you start to count all the roads that go through that area.
I believe this mayor also wants to tear down the Boulevard Périphérique, which would be a far more radical idea that would worsen the regional gridlock significantly. The BP carries over 200,000 vehicles per day on most of its route.
There is a trend in inner city French transportation politics, trams have been built as a tool to remove lanes for traffic. Much of these policies do not reflect the real world where the vast majority of travel is by car.
Quote from: cpzilliacus on May 14, 2021, 07:06:49 AM
Bloomberg Citylab: Paris Will Ban Through Traffic in City Center - Mayor Anne Hidalgo's latest effort to rein in car use and fight pollution would prevent non-residents from driving across the French capital's historic heart in 2022. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-13/new-paris-car-ban-will-target-through-traffic)
QuoteIn an announcement Wednesday, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo set an audacious new benchmark in her ongoing campaign to reduce car use across the French capital: a ban on most vehicle traffic crossing the city center in 2022.
QuoteThe plan would stop through traffic from a large zone covering Paris' core, to cut pollution and noise and free up more space for trees, cycle lanes and pedestrian areas. A public consultation for the plan launched this week.
QuoteThe new zone would not ban cars altogether: It would still permit motorized access to the zone's residents (including short-term hotel guests), to people with disabilities, and to vehicles used for public transit, deliveries or services. The new rules would nonetheless make it illegal to drive across the city center without stopping. That would cover about 55% of total traffic – more than 100,000 cars – passing through this zone on average per day, the city says.
Sounds like the Street Plaza's setup some cities are testing out.
Quote from: Chris on May 14, 2021, 08:38:34 AM
This would lower traffic volumes by marginal amounts per street. 100,000 vehicles sounds a lot until you start to count all the roads that go through that area.
I believe this mayor also wants to tear down the Boulevard Périphérique, which would be a far more radical idea that would worsen the regional gridlock significantly. The BP carries over 200,000 vehicles per day on most of its route.
There is a trend in inner city French transportation politics, trams have been built as a tool to remove lanes for traffic. Much of these policies do not reflect the real world where the vast majority of travel is by car.
So they want to make it illegal to drive through the city center... while also removing the route to drive around it. Wonderful. Perhaps they should just come out and say the truth - they don't want people to drive at all, no matter where they're going or what route they're taking.
Didn't the City of Paris already take over Le Périphérique from the French national highway guys and order it reduced from 4+4 to 2+2?
Mike
Quote from: vdeane on May 14, 2021, 04:34:30 PM
Perhaps they should just come out and say the truth - they don't want people to drive at all, no matter where they're going or what route they're taking.
Plenty of people, in fact, will come out and say exactly this in not as many words: that reducing usage of private automobiles is explicitly necessary in order to meet emissions reduction targets and/or in order to prevent deaths from car crashes.
Quote from: Duke87 on May 24, 2021, 01:09:05 AM
Quote from: vdeane on May 14, 2021, 04:34:30 PM
Perhaps they should just come out and say the truth - they don't want people to drive at all, no matter where they're going or what route they're taking.
Plenty of people, in fact, will come out and say exactly this in not as many words: that reducing usage of private automobiles is explicitly necessary in order to meet emissions reduction targets and/or in order to prevent deaths from car crashes.
Advocates, sure, but not usually politicians and other government officials.
I came across this video from France24. There is a major exodus out of Paris. The key demographic that is leaving: Millennials (30-40 age group).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1LLNYv96-Q
Evidently Paris has had a declining population prior to the pandemic. The population dropped substantially during the 1960s and 1970s, then slightly rebounded in the 2000s, with a decline since then.
Reasons for leaving: exorbitant housing prices, no chance of ever owning a house, tiny apartments, stressed-out population, congestion, etc.
People move to all kinds of destinations: other cities, the suburbs, the countryside or their home region.