Paris: What’s the status of the new “Code of the Street”?

It will be voted on July 6th, during the next Paris Council meeting. The “Street Code” will aim to facilitate interactions between cyclists and pedestrians. 

In January 2023, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wanted to create a new “Street Code.” It will be voted on next July 6th during a Paris Council session. A “Code” that includes rules already found in the “Highway Code,” such as “Not driving under the influence,” or “Use the horn only in case of danger,” and “Park only in designated areas.” Paris’s Deputy Mayor for Safety, Nicolas Nordman, summarizes the “Street Code” as “A prioritization of rules that allow us to live together.” 20 minutes reveals the main new features. 

A “Bike Passport” 

The “Street Code” will help better protect vulnerable individuals and children. “One primary goal is to restore the place of children and families with very young children or strollers in public spaces,” explains Nicolas Nordman. To that end, a 10-hour course will be offered to children aged 6 to 11. It will teach the basics of the “Highway Code” and fundamental cycling skills. The city of Paris aims to democratize this initiative in all schools across the capital, reaching 340. So far, 40 school groups have participated. In the future, it will be called the “Bike Passport.” 

Pedestrian Safety

In this context, “priority number 1” is pedestrian safety. The city of Paris “commits to a goal of zero tolerance for encroachment on sidewalks.” The capital also wants to experiment with options to make crossing safer, including “colored ground paint,” “colored lighting at crosswalks,” and “traffic signals with countdown timers to inform pedestrians of remaining crossing time,” which already exist in some cities. 

The new bike lanes that Mayor Anne Hidalgo plans to implement will no longer be on the sidewalks, as seen in some streets of the capital. 

See also: Décathlon Magic Bike 2: The Family Wagon Version Bicycle (VIDEO)