Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Caroline Mortimer

Paris will go car-free for one day this month

Paris' roads have become more and more congested in recent years ()

Paris is due to go car-free for one day later this month in a bid to fight congestion and pollution.

The decision to launch the inaugural journée sans voiture (car-free journey) day is part of a series of measures to make the city more hospitable for people on two feet and two wheels as well as those on four, according to the Guardian.

Ms Hidalgo announced the plans the same month she was forced to introduce emergency measures to halve the number of vehicles driving around the French capital.

Only cars with even or odd number plates were permitted to enter Paris and its 22 surrounding areas on alternating days in March until the dangerous levels of toxic smog surrounding the city's streets had subsided.

According to the Mayor of Paris’s website, the central arrondissements of the capital, (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th) will go car-free along with parts of the left bank, Concorde and Sully bridges, and several squares including la place de la République and de la Bastille.

Read More:
Uber protests in Paris: Government outlaws online service after taxi demonstrations
Drunk, moi? Traffic cop reveals top excuses of bad French drivers
Paris police hunt driver of car that crashed through barricades at Tour de France

The Champs-Elysées will also be closed, as will the area around the Eiffel Tower.

A statement from the Mayor’s office said: “The capital must respond to climate challenges that jeopardise the future of the planet, including by fighting against pollution and improving the health of Parisians.

"Through this particularly unique event, [we] wish to raise awareness of the need for changes in attitudes to energy and changes to individual behavior.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.