Change behaviors and arrangements. This is what the Paris en Selle and Better Bicycle Travel (MDB) associations are calling for in their “action plan against motorized violence”, unveiled this Tuesday, November 19, a little over a month after the murder of Paul Varry and while a tribute must be paid this Tuesday to this 27-year-old cyclist during the Paris Council. An active member of Paris en Selle, he was run over by a motorist on October 15, after an altercation. The latter, aged 52, has since been indicted for murder and imprisoned.
“Paul’s death is the most extreme form of violence experienced by every Parisian who travels by bicycle,” affirm the two associations in a press release. Faced with this observation, they called the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and the Paris police prefect, Laurent Nunez “protect cyclists against motorized violence”with an objective: “zero deaths and zero serious injuries”.
Better consideration of violence in police stations
To do this, Paris en Selle and MDB are calling for change in behavior, both of road users and police officers national and municipal. “When cyclists are victims of attacks, it is difficult to file a complaint. When complaints are made, most of the time, prosecutions are not initiated against the perpetrators of this violence.“, says Alexis Frémeaux, president of MDB. “The first priority” of the president, it is therefore that the authorities “take up the subject!”
The two associations offer, for example the creation of a team of police officers responsible for road violence. They also propose the creation of a team of 50 municipal police officers, “visible throughout the day”to protect the “vulnerable users”. Above all, they want the authorities to control more and fine road users who do not respect the rules.
There are 200 crossroads to be secured urgently
Beyond behaviors, associations also expect new cycling facilities in the capital. They identified 200 dangerous intersections, 10 per district, which must be “emergency secure”. For example, the intersection of Boulevard Magenta and Fubourg Saint-Martin, in the 10th arrondissement. Vehicles turning right come behind cyclists and “cut“the priority, explains for example the two associations.
Paris en Selle and MDB also encourage the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo to ensure “the continuity of the cycle path network by the end of [son] mandate“. For 2025, the two associations set 20 priority axes to be developed in all districts of Parislike Boulevard des Italians in the 9th arrondissement or Rue des Pyrénées in the 20th. The associations ask the police chief to “reissue the proven method” during the Olympic Games, namely “work with the town hall to remove obstacles” to install these cycle paths.
