Paris is to impose a speed limit of 30km/h on almost all streets in an effort to improve safety, reduce noise pollution and help the city adapt to climate change.
Greens deputy mayor David Belliard, who’s in charge of transport, said the measure would take effect from the end of August.
Exceptions will be made for the Peripherique ring road that circles Paris, and a handful of main boulevards.
Sixty percent of the capital's streets already have 30km/h speed limits, while others have been reduced to single lanes or pedestrianised.
[À LA UNE À 21H]
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) July 8, 2021
Vitesse limitée à 30 km/h dès fin août dans la capitale, sauf rares exceptions: David Belliard, adjoint EELV de la maire PS de Paris Anne Hidalgo, a annoncé à l'AFP une nouvelle décision forte pour "diminuer la place de la voiture" dans la Ville Lumière #AFP 5/5 pic.twitter.com/iLodgEvRO9
"The point is to reduce the space taken by cars, which involves lowering their speeds," Belliard said.
The decision comes as Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo pushes ahead with plans to remove 60,000 of the city's 140,000 street-level parking spaces.
Motorcycles and scooters, which have been allowed to park for free, will also have to start paying from next year.
Greener Paris
In a bid to slash traffic, Paris city hall in May announced plans to set up a “low traffic zone” in the city centre by 2022.
Under the proposal, vehicles would be banned from four central arrondissements, including the two islands on the Seine river – one of which is home to Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The zone would also include the medieval Marais quarter, the Louvre Museum and a large part of the historic Left Bank.
High-polluting diesel vehicles have already been banned from entering the Paris region on on weekdays during the day.
