Parisians voted and approved a referendum to make 500 streets in the French capital pedestrian-only.
Parisians have just voted and approved a referendum that will make 500 streets in the French capital exclusive to pedestrians. The measure aims to reduce car use and improve the city’s air quality.
According to a report from Reuters, about 65.96% of Paris residents voted in favor of the referendum, the third of its kind in two years. In 2023, the ban on electric scooters was approved, and last year a large increase in parking fees for large SUVs was established.
The project foresees the elimination of an additional 10,000 parking spaces in Paris, adding to the 10,000 that have already been removed since 2020, and the city’s two million residents will be consulted on which streets will become pedestrian-only areas.
Data from the city hall show that car traffic in the city has dropped by more than half since the rise of the socialist party in the French capital. Even so, Paris still lags behind other European cities in terms of green infrastructure.
Gardens, parks, tree-lined streets, water, and marshes make up only 26% of the city’s area, compared to the average of 41% in other European capitals.
