Car-Free Paris?

[cycletourist]

The new mayor in Paris France has taken a very anti-automobile stance. Any word on how this is progressing?

[Joe Gardner]

I havent heard anything on this, my little sister knows french, i'll search around some french news sites this weekend :)

[LittleBigMan]

I am sorry to say, this is the first I've heard about the mayor of Paris taking an anti-automobile stance.

I know, of course, this is Paris, France, not Paris, Texas. ;)

[ViciousCycle]

Here's a news bite on the subject:


A new revolution is sweeping through the streets of
Paris as draconian measures aimed at driving motorists
off the road take effect.

"It's only by making life hell for motorists that we
will force them to give up their cars," said Yves
Contassot, the Green Deputy Mayor, who travels on a
bicycle.

A main boulevard where cars usually speed along was
choked with traffic this week after city authorities
moved swiftly to install bus and bike lanes.

The Socialist Mayor, Bertrand Delanoe, was elected
three months ago on a Green mandate to restore the
streets of Paris to pedestrians after decades of
arrogant hegemony by motorists.

He has been laying his plans since the northern
spring. This week he swooped. Municipal workers laid
heavy kerbing, sealing off swathes of the Rue de
Rivoli. Commuters driving to work found themselves
jammed in narrow lanes while buses, cyclists and taxis
cruised past.

Traffic has grown steadily in Paris in the past decade
and pollution levels have soared.

Mr Delanoe has already angered drivers by shutting
expressways along the Seine to all but cyclists,
roller-bladers and pedestrians for a month - a move
that caused gridlock in the centre.

The scheme to create "civilised spaces" will be
extended to many of the main boulevards while public
transport is improved.

Cyclists and roller-bladers seemed delighted this
week, but motorists' groups have launched legal
challenges to the measures.

Mr Contassot discovered to his cost how the
notoriously anarchic attitudes of Parisian drivers
could undermine the scheme. Taking his bike for a spin
along a newly opened cycle lane, he was bowled over
by a motorcyclist who was illegally using it to speed
past a traffic jam.


(Sorry, I don't know what publication, if any, the above came from.)

[Chris L]

That was the original article. I too am wondering how this went.