Only emergency vehicles and residents allowed in Paris inner-city zone

Starting today, car traffic in the city center of Paris will be restricted even further with the introduction of a car-free zone, a so-called “zone à traffic limité” (ZTL).

The measure is intended to reduce noise and harmful emissions, improve road safety, and create more space for cyclists and pedestrians.

In addition, the new zone should make it easier for people with limited mobility to get around central Paris by car. It covers an area of about 5,5 m² between Place de la Concorde, the Seine, the Opera, and Place de la République, or the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th districts.

Only destination traffic is possible

The traffic-free zone will subsequently be accessible only to emergency services, buses, cabs, people with reduced mobility, drivers who live or work there, and all so-called destination traffic. This term refers to traffic whose departure or arrival point is in the area.

In other words, people who want to visit the doctor, go to a restaurant, cinema, store, art gallery, or conduct business in the area will be allowed to enter the zone by car.

“Complete mess”

The introduction of the measure, designed primarily to virtually eliminate through traffic in the zone, is a further building block in the traffic turnaround that Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo of Paris has been pursuing for years.

The introduction of the measure had already been postponed several times and was the subject of difficult negotiations.

The right-wing opposition in the city council denounced the measure, saying it is inapplicable and risks endangering businesses in the area.

“It’s going to be a complete mess, complicating the lives of residents with traffic jams on other roads,” according to one of them. They call for a regular assessment of “both the impact of pollution and local economic activity.”

Change in mentality

The city estimates that between 350,000 and 500,000 cars currently pass through Paris daily, a significant proportion of which are “through traffic,” making no stops. This traffic exacerbates conflicts with cyclists and pedestrians in the city center.

It is estimated that only 30% of these “transistors” absolutely need their car, and most of this transit traffic is made up of Parisians, who, therefore, have numerous alternatives to motorized modes of transport.

Paris hopes the traffic calming measures, following the examples of other European cities such as Madrid, Rome, and Milan, will reduce car traffic on the busiest arteries, Avenue de l’Opéra and Boulevard de Sébastopol, and traffic noise by 7% to 30%.

No fines will be issued in the first phase. However, from April 1, anyone driving a car through the zone without permission will be fined 135 euros.

After this date, proof of passage through the ZTL will be required in receipts or a restaurant bill, for example. The exact control modalities and the accepted proofs have yet to be determined.

In the long term, the city council wants to use cameras to sanction drivers who fail to respect the ZTL automatically. However, a change in the law must be made before launching the project.

Greener Paris

Under Hidalgo, roads along the banks of the Seine have been closed to cars and opened to pedestrians. The number of bicycle lanes has also increased, new green spaces have been created, and a 30 km/h speed limit has been introduced almost everywhere in the city.

In early October, the speed limit on the city ring road was reduced from 70 to 50 km/h. Parking fees for heavy cars were also tripled: you pay 18 euros an hour to park in central Paris with an SUV.