Paris is gradually closing its center to cars

Authorities in Paris have begun to restrict vehicle traffic in a large section of the city center, announcing that fines will be enforced starting in spring 2025.

The ban affects four municipal districts (arrondissements, in french) in the heart of the French capital.

The trial phase will last for three months, with the possibility of extending it to six months.

The low-traffic zone (ZTL), home to approximately 100,000 residents and housing 11,000 businesses, is part of a broader initiative by socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo to reduce traffic and encourage the use of bicycles and public transport throughout the car-filled city.

Specifically, the zone covers the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th arrondissements, an area of 5.5 square kilometers that includes much of Paris’s historic center and some of its most famous landmarks, including the Louvre.

As noted by the Guardian, access for cars, motorcycles, trucks, and vans will be permitted only for emergency services, buses, taxis, individuals with reduced mobility, residents and workers in the area, and those entering for specific reasons such as medical appointments, visiting friends, or going to a shop, cinema, or restaurant.

The large number of exceptions makes automatic enforcement via closed-circuit cameras impractical, so Paris authorities will rely on visible signage, random checks, and an electronic declaration system.

Municipal data shows that between 350,000 and 500,000 vehicles enter the ZTL daily, with estimates suggesting that up to 50% of this traffic consists of transit drivers moving through the area with final destinations outside the zone.

Officials expect that the ZTL will lead to a “significant reduction” in traffic volume of up to 30% on the busiest roads, while also decreasing noise levels and improving air quality.

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