French authorities hope the streets of Paris will be safer, quieter and less dirty as a new speed limit for drivers of 30kph came into force. The city wants to promote walking, cycling, and use of public transport, said Deputy mayor David Belliard.
The new speed limit should help to decrease pollution, noise, and the number of serious accidents. This is not an anti-car measure, he said.
The Limit of 30kph is already applicable to 60% of the Paris area and will cover the entire city. A few major streets such as Champs Elysees will be exempt, with the speed limit at 50kph. Belliard added that they want to limit vehicles over required travel.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo has built new bike lanes, banned old diesel cars, and made the Seine Bank a car-free area. Parking has also been reduced in the city to limit car traffic.
The Police will be easy-going in applying the new speed limit in the first week. Other French cities are included like Bordeaux, Strasbourg, and Toulouse with a 30kph speed limit.
