The City Hall of Paris has lied again

The City Hall of Paris backtracks on its promise to spare Parisian residents who own low-emission vehicles.

At the end of a citizen consultation, Parisians endorsed on February 4 the idea of tripling the parking fees for heavy vehicles… What heavy vehicles, wasn’t the vote against SUVs and other 4X4s? Not at all, one had to read the voting conditions. Thus, 54.55% of voters favored increasing the rates from 6 to 18 euros per hour in central districts, and from 4 to 12 euros in outer districts, for the parking of thermal and hybrid vehicles weighing over 1600 kilograms and electric vehicles over 2 tons. It’s also worth noting that fewer than 80,000 people out of the 1.3 million affected voted, which is just 6%.

During the debates that preceded this heavily biased vote, the question of free residential parking for owners of hybrid or electric vehicles was indeed raised. The low-emission vehicle resident subscription currently allows Parisians driving hybrids or electric cars to park for free for up to seven consecutive days in areas close to their homes, or for six consecutive hours anywhere in Paris. There was no trace of a possible rule change in the voting texts, so one could consider that the aim was merely to punish the ‘bad’ SUV drivers who pollute the city, damage the roads, and endanger our children. A promise only binds those who believe in it, and it is now obsolete as evidenced by the update of the voting results on May 16, more than three months after the closure of the polling. One has to admit that it takes audacity!

“The owners of electric SUVs who previously enjoyed free parking will have to pay a residential rate to park near their homes,” announced David Belliard, the EELV deputy for mobility, before clarifying that this new charge would concern “very few people.”

Few or many people, it ultimately doesn’t matter. The City Hall of Paris considers that any car, whether Diesel, Gasoline, Hybrid, or Electric is an enemy of the people that must be fought with all possible means. Let’s at least acknowledge that they are not hiding it. But if one does not respect the rules, why organize votes costing several hundred thousand euros instead of investing this money in city maintenance or ensuring public transport access for disabled individuals? It is incomprehensible and, above all, inexcusable.