Climate Action reports that Paris is to ban motor vehicles from many of its roads on 27 September in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. This will coincide with European Mobility Week.
Mayor Hidalgo (pictured here) said:
“Paris will be completely transformed for a day… This is an opportunity for Parisians and tourists to enjoy the city without noise, pollution and therefore without stress.”
Restricted areas will include the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, 10th and 11th arrondissements, the Champs Élysées, the Eiffel Tower, Place Stalingrad, Place de la Republique, Place Bastille, and the Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne.
It is said that exceptions will be made for emergency services vehicles, which seems fine. We suspect, and hope that this will not be seen as too cynical a view, that exceptions will also be made for vehicles on urgent government business, as the interests of the State are likely to be seen to override any transient climate priorities.