The communist senator from Paris Ian Brossat intends to table a bill. It aims to give the power to mayors of large cities to prohibit the circulation of vehicles above a certain weight. If it were to be adopted, it will be applied in the capital.
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A few weeks after Paul Varry was crushed by an SUV driver, emotions are still running high in Paris. To the point that the debate is open, to question the place of these vehicles in large cities.
SUVs like this could see their circulation restricted in Paris, if this ban is adopted.
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© France 3 PIDF
The senator (Communist Party) of Paris Ian Brossat wants to give the right to mayors who wish to prohibit these “sport utility vehicles” in their city.
This elected official first mentions vehicles which have become more imposing in the space of 10 years: “Cars have gained one centimeter every two years and 10 kg per year.“Hence the interest, according to him, in regulating the circulation of these models.
“This is a very simple bill. It does not aim to ban SUVs everywhere in the country. There are undoubtedly areas where this type of car is needed, particularly on country roads. My conviction is that in a city like Paris which is the densest city in Europe, already very congested, we do not need to have this type of vehicle. Anyone with a little rationality can see that these vehicles pose many, many problems.“, he insists.
This study by the insurer AXA in Switzerland mentions around a third of additional accidents, for SUV vehicles weighing more than 2.1 tonnes.
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© France 3 PIDF
The arguments put forward by Parisian elected officials are ecological, but also security. They are based on studies carried out in Switzerland and Belgium. SUVs weighing more than 2 tonnes cause “10 to 27% more accidents than other cars“, according to a first study carried out by the insurer AXA in Switzerland. Accidents caused by these vehicles would also be more serious, according to another study. “More than 50% risk of fatal injury“, are mentioned by the VIAS institute in Belgium for vehicles weighing more than 1.8 tonnes.
The measure would be particularly exclusionary if it were adopted, from the point of view of an association which defends the use of automobiles in Paris. “In Paris, there are still 600,000 cars on the road, including many SUVs. It is said that only 30% of Parisians have a car, that still makes 600,000 and that is respectable. Yes, there are a lot of SUVs, because there is a life outside of Paris, especially a family life, so we need these cars” assures Yves Carra, spokesperson for the Mobilités Club France association.
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The bill to restrict the circulation of these vehicles must be tabled by the communist senator next week. It must be accompanied by the symbolic submission of a wish this November 19, to the Council of Paris.
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