Park de triomphe: Choked Paris goes car-less for a day in effort to cut pollution

Pretty but noisy Paris, its gracious Old World buildings blackened by exhaust fumes, is going car-less for a day. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo presided over Sunday’s “day without cars,” two months before the city hosts the global summit on climate change. The symbolic initiative is aimed at showing that air pollution from traffic — a prime source in Paris — must be reduced worldwide and capitals must take concrete measures to shrink their carbon footprint.

Parisians will be able to take back their daily living space and experience the city in a different way

Mayor Anne Hidalgo

Mayors from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Brussels and Bristol were in Paris for the kick-off on the famed but normally congested Champs-Elysees Avenue. Buses, ambulances, police vehicles, fire trucks and taxis were allowed in the streets. Those who hit the road anyway must observe a 20 kph (12.5 mph) speed limit. Paris has earlier sought to cut pollution by introducing rental bicycles in the streets, adding cycling paths, including along the Seine, and adopting a fleet of electric cars.

I doubt they will be persuaded to use their car less. I don’t think they will change their habits in the short term

Parisian Kim Le Minh

Europe