Paris, on August 30, imposed a speed limit of 30kmph on its motorists including two-wheelers. With this, Paris joins other cities in France Lille, Montpellier, Grenoble, Nantes and Rennes where a similar rule already exists. Before this new rule was imposed, 60 per cent of roads in Paris had a speed limit of 30kmph. Paris’ Mayor Anne Hidalgo said the city government has already restricted or banned vehicle traffic on several streets and multiplied the number of bike lanes.
Currently, the average speed of vehicles in the city do not exceed 16kmph, thanks to its congested lanes. City authorities told AFP that the new rule has been introduced to make the city safer for pedestrians and bring down the number of accidents.
The speed limit isn’t prevalent in all of Paris. Areas like the Marshals and the Champs-Elysees will have a speed limit of 50 kmph. Mayor Hidalgo said the change is also an attempt to reduce pollution and improve the city’s air quality. Similar speed limits are in place in other European cities like Lausanne in Switzerland or Hamburg, Bremen, Munich and Berlin in Germany.
The speed limit could increase taxi fares in the city, as Parisian taxis charge customers based on the time taken to reach a destination rather than the distance covered. The speed limit could change late at night, authorities indicated. Authorities also aim to reduce noise pollution and an overall dependency on cars with the speed limit.
City authorities are also getting rid of 60,000 of the existing 144,000 parking spaces on public roads and widening sidewalks to encourage walking. Critics however feel that reduction of the speed limit will reduce speed efficiency and increase green gas emissions. The success of the project would depend on whether or not citizens would opt for other modes of transport such as biking or walking to get from point A to point B. With the widening of sidewalks, the authorities also plan to plant more trees to improve air quality.
According to a poll by the Parisian City Hall, 59% of the city's residents were in favour of the new limit, CNN reports.
City Hall officials backed the change and said that according to a WHO study the change would reduce fatal road accidents by 40 per cent
Parisian Deputy Mayor David Belliard, tweeted, "A friendly clarification of what those who oppose lowering the speed limit are saying: NO, a speed limit of 30km/h doesn't increase pollution ... But actually improves safety for cyclists and pedestrians, reduces noise and makes the city calm."