Paris mayor announces bold plan to curb heavy vehicle use
The mayor of the French capital, Anne Hidalgo, intends to ban vehicles weighing over 1,700 kilograms. The plan naturally raises considerable controversy.
Many European cities strive to reduce vehicle traffic on their streets, and Paris is no exception. The French capital is known for its strict approach to cars, especially larger ones, as evidenced by the recently implemented higher parking fees.
Drivers of large SUVs who wish to park in the city centre must pay as much as £14 per hour. But that's not all – the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, plans another law that will significantly impact users of large vehicles.
Increasing traffic jams, parking problems, and environmentally friendly ambitions have prompted Anne Hidalgo to propose a project for the total ban on internal combustion vehicles weighing over 1,700 kilograms and electric vehicles over 2,000 kilograms.
"Undoubtedly, there are rural areas where this type of car is necessary. The point is, in a city like Paris, which is the most densely populated city in Europe, we don't need such cars," states Hidalgo's deputy, Ian Brossat.
If the proposed law comes into effect, it will exclude many modern SUVs from Parisian traffic. However, it's worth noting that the number of Parisians affected will be relatively small. Currently, only 30% of the city's residents use any car, and SUVs account for about a quarter of the vehicles on those streets.
