In the new Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) of Paris, electric vehicles are not spared

Paris City Hall never lacks creativity when it comes to complicating the lives of motorists traveling in the capital. After the passage to 50 km/h of the Paris ring road, the latest innovation is called ZTL to Limited Traffic Zone. This device aims to block transit traffic in the central districts of Paris. Thus, the first four arrondissements of Paris (from 1ᵉʳ to 4ᵉ) are only accessible to vehicles with a justified reason to enter.

Paris City Hall hopes that this decision will promote the use of public transport, develop soft mobility and reduce pollution and noise in the capital's hypercenter. As for the consequences on traffic in neighboring districts, Paris town hall seems to minimize the impact of the traffic postponement.

Who can travel in a ZTL?

The Paris town hall indicates that the principle already exists in other European capitals such as Madrid, Milan or Rome. The idea is to protect the Parisian hypercenter from motorized vehicles that only cross them to go elsewhere in the capital. You will now have to bypass this area.

This limitation does not concern emergency and public service vehicles, road vehicles, public transport, taxis or VTCs, mobility inclusion card holders as well as car-sharing vehicles.

If you live within the targeted area, you will have authorization to travel within the ZTL. This is also the case if your work is located within the ZTL. Other cases also allow access to this scope, even if the supporting documents to be provided are not clearly defined at the moment:

• For a medical appointment;
• To go to certain shops, art galleries, cinemas and any other cultural activity;
• For professional needs such as ensuring delivery or repairs;
• To go to friends who live in one of the 4 districts concerned.

While waiting for the Paris prefecture and town hall to formalize the list of documents necessary to justify access to the ZTL. It is strongly recommended to keep any proof that can demonstrate your good faith: cinema or museum ticket, purchase invoice, Doctolib appointment confirmation, etc. It's not really clear whether motorists will have to self-certify themselves when it comes to visiting friends or family, which would send us strangely back to the times of Covid.

Of course, if you travel by bike or scooter, you can cross these boroughs. The ban only concerns motorized vehicles: two-wheelers, cars, utility vehicles, trucks, buses/coaches.

What is the area concerned?

For the moment, a scope has been defined, but Anne Hidalgo's teams are looking to expand this to certain additional areas.

Here is the final map:

Several boulevards and monuments serve as markers for the delimitation:

• Opéra
• Italian Boulevard
• Boulevard Saint-Denis
• Boulevard Saint-Martin
• Republic Square
• Boulevard du Temple
• Boulevard Beaumarchais
• Bastille Square
• Boulevard Bourdon
• Quai de l’Hôtel de Ville
• Quai du Louvre
• Place de la Concorde

The entire heart of this zone will therefore have limited access from November 4, 2024. The signs have been installed at the entrances to the zone. A period of leniency and education will accompany the launch of this new product. Then, motorists in violation will be exposed to a fixed fine of 135 euros (4th class fine), which may be reduced or increased.

Why are electric vehicles also concerned?

The Paris town hall thus wishes to reduce pollution and noise for the inhabitants of these privileged neighborhoods. However, electric vehicles, which emit no exhaust gases and produce little noise, are not spared from the measure.

Unlike the Low Emission Zones (ZFE) which already concern the capital and exclude the most polluting vehicles, the ZTL wants to exclude non-essential traffic from this central zone of the capital. Paris City Hall also wants to reduce the number of accidents in an area where soft mobility is favored.

Will the rest of Paris experience record traffic jams in the coming months due to side effects? The town hall assures that this will not be the case, but in any case, once again everything is done to discourage you from using a car in Paris, whether electric or thermal.