Paris: bike could dethrone car in 2025

The Mairie intends to spend 250 million euros in six years to the development of bike paths and other bicycle-favorable measures.

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The chorus dates from 1972. “In Paris, by bike, we exceed the cars,” said Joe Dassin in his complaint of the rush hour. Fifty years later, the formula could well find a new meaning, and the bike trips exceed in number those carried out by car. The two curves could cross each other as early as 2024, and the bike trips clearly dominated by 2026, according to the projections unveiled, Thursday, October 21, by the town hall of Paris.

“That’s what we want, assume David Belliard, the ecologist assistant for travel and public space. The bike already represents 5.6% of trips to Paris, compared to 9% for the car . On certain axes, there are sometimes more cyclists than motorists, but it’s still exceptional. “The ambition of the Red-Rose-Green Alliance who runs the capital is that the two curves are reversed at the faster, in the name of public health and the fight against climate change.

For the moment, the bike is far from dethroning the automobile, especially rainy days. However, the antiviture policy of the Paris Left has already reduced intra-muros traffic. Automotive traffic has declined by about 45% since the election of Bertrand Delanoë, in 2001. and the movement continues, fueled by the measures that accumulate, even if the right opposition is reinforced. Like speed limitation at 30 km / h in almost any Paris since August 30. Or the creation of a “limited traffic zone” in the center of the capital, expected current 2022, with the objective of dividing by two road traffic.

In the opposite direction, the bike started its back in the streets of Paris. Since 2020, the confines have accelerated the phenomenon, with the emergency installation of 52 kilometers of temporary cycle paths. The attendance of cycling trails jumped by 47% in 2020, and again from 22% in 2021. Now, the socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo and his environmental allies still want to amplify the movement. This is the meaning of the “bike plan” presented Thursday by David Belliard, and submitted to the next Council of Paris, in mid-November.

resulting in a network of dense, safe and practical equipment

The Town Hall has planned to spend 250 million euros in six years. It is 100 million euros less than the 350 million promised by Anne Hidalgo during his election campaign, in 2020. But, given the budgetary difficulties of Paris, the ecologists dread worse. They also feared that the mayor do not want to engage in a multi-year plan, she renounced in June to present an investment program for the entire mandat. At the end of several months of negotiations, socialists and ecologists ended up on this envelope of 250 million euros, less than the promises, but greater than the 150 million “bike plan” launched during the previous mandate of M me hidalgo. The bike was obviously considered a priority. A political marker. Other deputies are not as satisfied with the arbitrations rendered in recent weeks.

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/Media reports.