In order to avoid accidents and noise and to give cyclists more space, speed 30 is now almost everywhere on the streets in Paris. Many support the move – but there is also criticism.
Since Monday, the speed limit on most streets in Paris has been 30. The only exceptions are important traffic axes and the Périphérique city motorway. According to the city administration, Tempo 70 is still allowed on the ring road, axes such as the Champs-Elysées can be driven at 50 km / h.
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. Tempo 30 already applies on 60 percent of the streets, it was also said.
Two other French cities with speed limits
Incidentally, hundreds of signs did not have to be screwed on in Paris for the new speed limit. The new, large-scale regulation will be pointed out once on the roads leading into the city. 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 several 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 socialist Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is delivering on one of her campaign promises that she made before the local elections last year at a speed of 30 km / h.
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” has doubts about 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.
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