A limited traffic zone (ZTL) established in Paris from this Monday, here are the new rules

TRANSPORT – New traffic rules. The Paris town hall is establishing a limited traffic zone (ZTL) in the heart of the capital from this Monday, November 4, prohibiting the passage of vehicles that only cross the first four arrondissements of the capital.

This area of ​​approximately 5.5 km2 will only be authorized for emergency vehicles, buses, taxis, VTCs, people with reduced mobility, motorists residing or working there and all traffic “destination”namely those whose point of departure and arrival is in the area (for a medical appointment, going shopping, to the cinema, going to visit friends, etc.)

This only concerns motorized vehicles. « Active modes (bicycles, scooters, etc.) are not affected by the limitation of transit traffic”specifies the town hall on its website.

Postponed several times, the establishment of the ZTL is a campaign commitment from the socialist mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, for “liberate public space” occupied by cars and reduce pollution, as several large European cities (Madrid, Milan, Rome, etc.) have done in their central districts.

Since the announcement of the project in May 2021, its perimeter has been the subject of difficult negotiations with the police headquarters, which co-signed the decree published Thursday. Initially included, the districts of the left bank located between Boulevard Saint-Germain and the Seine were removed from the perimeter, as were the Îles de la Cité and Saint-Louis and the high quays of the right bank.

Reduce traffic, noise pollution and pollution

Paris town hall expects a decrease “substantial” of the traffic volume in the busiest arteries, with -30% on avenue de l'Opéra and -15% on boulevard de Sébastopol, further to the east, according to the impact study it carried out.

It also anticipates a reduction in noise and an improvement in air quality thanks to a reduction in nitrogen dioxide concentrations (-15% on avenue de l'Opéra and boulevard Henri IV, -10% on Sebastopol Boulevard).

Transport and logistics organizations from Île-de-France, united under the Gatmarif banner, asked the town hall in mid-September for details on the conditions of access and the presentation of possible supporting documents.

“A mess without a name” for the opposition

“The control methods as well as the list of supporting documents allowing the right to travel within the limited traffic zone to be established will be defined by a joint decree of the mayor of Paris and the prefect of police”specifies the decree published last Thursday.

“There will be a first phase of teaching, before a second phase of control and verbalization” with a system of resident cards and online self-declaration, said the town hall. According to BFMTV, this period should last at least three months.

Deputy environmentalist David Belliard ensures that this tool “will improve the daily lives of the 110,000 people who live in the city center of Paris”. Conversely, for Paris-Centre elected official Aurélien Véron, “It’s going to be an unspeakable mess, on the contrary complicating the lives of residents with traffic jams on other roads.” “Traders and local residents are very worried”he added. For Maud Gatel (MoDem), the ZTL risks putting “commercial and cultural dynamism is at risk” of the sector.

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