Road violence: Emmanuel Barbe appointed to ease tensions

Emmanuel Barbe, former interministerial delegate for road safety, is appointed to manage the government mission.against violence, protect all road users“. A decision that raises questions, both about its intentions and its track record in terms of Cycling policies.

Road Violence Mission: Emmanuel Barbe, the man for the job?

The appointment of Emmanuel Barbe at the head of the mission “Against violence, protect all road users” comes in a context marked by the tragic assassination of Paul Varry, cyclist and activist, which occurred on October 15, 2024 in Paris . Aged 27, the cyclist was fatally struck by a motorist during an altercation. A drama widely relayed by the media and followed by national mobilization.

This mission, announced on October 21, 2024 during a meeting between the Minister of Transport, the Interministerial Delegate for Road Safety and the main cyclist associations, aims to propose measures to reduce conflicts of use and aggressive behavior on the public highway. The appointment of Emmanuel Barbe is not without raising questions.

“Cycling is more dangerous than other modes of transport” already said Emmanuel Barbe

The man is known for his controversial positions, particularly on the supposed dangerousness of cycling. At the FUB congress in 2017, he declared that “cycling is more dangerous than other modes of transport“. A statement which did not fail to offend the members of the cycling association present. Can we really expect from him proposals favorable to active mobility?

“This mission complements the actions carried out by the government to ensure better security for the population in public spaces. Promoting sharing of the road, calming unacceptable conflicts between users on the roads, pursuing a culture of road education and respect for others and the rules are the necessary conditions for living well together. These are issues of citizenship, safe mobility and security.“, indicates Nicolas Daragon, Minister Delegate in charge of Daily Security.

The speech is intended to be polite, politically correct, reassuring. At no time does it stipulate a pro-active approach to reduce the role of motorized transport and promote active mobility. Just like the speech by the Minister of Transport, François Durovray, on October 21, the approach is timid and does not want to offend anyone. As we said previously: “Not opposing fashions means leaving the status quo in place.“.

The man is pro-helmet

Under his mandate as interministerial delegate for road safety, Emmanuel Barbe was at the origin of the law requiring the wearing of helmets for children under 12 years old. If this measure was justified as “educational”, it also raised the specter of a generalization to all cyclists. A measure that Emmanuel Barbe has openly supported on several occasions.

Associations, like the FUB, are firmly opposed to such an obligation. According to them, this discourages the use of bicycles by conveying an image of dangerousness. Barbe's position on this subject raises fears of measures perceived as counterproductive for the development of active mobility. Emmanuel Barbe finally recognized that this risked discouraging cycling.

This appointment of the senior civil servant (not always exemplary) therefore raises some questions regarding the consideration of the needs of the weakest users in public spaces (cyclists of course, but also pedestrians, including PRM). This mission is an opportunity to lay new foundations for peaceful sharing of the road. Secure facilities, education, sanctions against aggressive behavior: expectations are high.

“Emmanuel Barbe's mission will be to propose concrete, innovative and pragmatic solutions to combat road violence.“, says François Durovray, Minister Delegate for Transport.

Associations like the FUB remain attentive: they recall that priority must be given to the creation of secure infrastructure and better education about sharing the road, rather than measures perceived as punitive and/or security. The coming months will tell whether this mission will allow real progress for the safety of the most vulnerable in our automobile-centric society.