After scooters, Paris targets the left lane of the ring road

A public consultation will serve as a poll regarding the reservation of the left lane of the Paris ring road for carpooling, public transportation, and taxis.

From April 17 to May 28, 2023, the residents of Île-de-France will be invited to express their opinions. Not about the “left lane” – that would be caustic – but about the “Left Lane” of the Paris ring road for after the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In summary: whether or not to maintain the priority lanes, which will already be in effect (without consultation) during the Olympics on the ring road and the Île-de-France motorways.

This solution will, misleadingly, facilitate the movement of athletes between villages, hotels, and competition sites, thereby projecting a good image of Paris. To achieve this, intelligent radars will read vehicle license plates and compare them against a database where licensed plates for the event are registered. The idea will then be to recoup this investment – useful for three months (the duration of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics) – by monitoring the number of passengers per car participating in carpooling.

Alongside the modification of the left lane, the Paris City Hall intends to lower the maximum speed on the ring road from 70 km/h to 50 km/h (compared to 80 km/h during the 2010s). According to David Belliard, the Deputy Mayor for Mobility of Paris, in an interview with AFP, this project aims to “develop a virtuous and economical use of the car.” This biased vision persists, as the vast majority of users resort to cars due to lack of viable alternatives. It is a policy of frustration that is part of the strategy of the Paris City Hall to force drivers to reduce their trips… and professional activities to decrease. Only taxi drivers will benefit from a proposal that will only favor the wealthy.

From a political stance opposing that of the Paris City Hall, Valérie Pécresse, the President of the Île-de-France region, has obviously declared her opposition to this unpopular project, which will not only impact Parisians but all drivers in the region.

How to participate in the consultation ?

Prior to the public consultation, on a dedicated website open from April 17 to May 28, 2023, a meeting will be held on April 17 at 7 p.m., at the Paris City Hall (3 Rue de Lobau 75004 Paris: online pre-registration). A live broadcast of this meeting will be available on the consultation site. Two webinars will also be offered: May 10 and 23 at 7 p.m., with connection links on peripherique-voie-dediee.paris

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