During the Corona crisis, Paris took a big step in cycling, the cityscape has changed. A new speed limit now applies in the French capital.
Paris – Since Monday, the speed limit has been 30 on most streets in Paris. The only exceptions are important traffic axes and the Périphérique city motorway. 25 percent fewer accidents, 50 percent less noise and more space, especially for cyclists, are the arguments in favor of the cut.
59 percent of Parisians would have agreed to a speed limit in a survey, the city administration justified the move. On 60 percent of the streets, Tempo 30 already applies, it was also said.
Incidentally, hundreds of signs did not have to be screwed on in Paris for the new speed limit. On the access roads into the city, the new, large-scale regulation will be pointed out once. Paris in France is not a pioneer with the city-wide speed limit: Lille and Grenoble had already lowered the pace.
The new speed limit is just one of a number of measures to contain the car avalanches in Paris. 52 kilometers of pop-up bike paths set up during the corona epidemic are currently being converted into permanent bike lanes. In other streets, cars have to give way entirely to pedestrians, public meeting areas and bicycle parking spaces are being created, and trees and gardens are being planted.
The speed limit in Paris does not remain without criticism: The survey also asked residents of the greater Paris area, who cannot all get to their destination immediately by metro. 61 percent of them spoke out against the measure. And the association of motorists “40 millions d’automobilistes” doubts the purpose of the measure. In any case, there are few accidents within Paris, and if they do, then mostly cyclists are affected, it said. dpa
