Speed reductions are also rampant on the smoothest roads. This time it is France that is slowing down cars where on ring road Of Paris The Speed Limit it will be again lowered. Starting from October 1st in the “City of Light“, The the maximum speed limit will be 50 km/h where it had previously already been lowered from 80 to 70 km/h.
Speed limit reduction on the ring road
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Parismade a decisive choice: From October 1st, the speed limit on the Paris ring road, Boulevard Périfique, will be 50 km/h – where it is now 70 km/h -.
In an interview with RTL, Hidalgo spoke about the (recently concluded) Olympics, stating the following:
“We feel like we have accomplished the mission we had given ourselves to create this beautiful celebration. There is a material and immaterial heritage, a pride, a form of brotherhood… I think it has profoundly transformed French society.“.
He then stated:
“We have been working on it since 2018, it is not a new issue, we have very unanimous votes in the Paris Council“.
The former president of the UDI-MoDem party was also involved, his work was approved by the councilors in 2018.
Furthermore, in order to reduce the number of cars in the city and improve traffic, Mayor Hidalgo has intervened several times through maneuvers, such as: reducing parking spaces, building new bike lanes and banning the circulation of old diesel cars.
Speed limit reduction in Italy
In August 2021, the famous 30 km/h speed limit was implemented in Paris throughout the city: an important ploy, which some Italian cities have also taken inspiration from. In Bologna, for example, since the speed limit was reduced, road accidents have also decreased significantly, despite the contrasting opinions of some political parties, especially the government.
To be fair, In Italy, in recent years, there has been much talk about lowering speed limits as a measure to improve road safety and reduce environmental pollution.. These actions follow international trends and also respond to problems that have occurred in Italy, such as the high number of accidents and pollution in cities.
The main reasons are as follows:
- Road safety: one of the main goals is to reduce accidents. Studies show that lower speeds reduce the risk of accidents. Especially in cities, where the risk to pedestrians and cyclists is significantly reduced thanks to the speed limits put in place.
- Pollution reduction: as mentioned above, reducing driving speed means living in a cleaner, and therefore greener, world, especially in urban areas. Cars that travel at low speeds emit less CO2 emissions than vehicles that drive fast and brake frequently.
- Ambient noise: reducing speed also helps reduce traffic noise, and improve the quality of life, especially in urban areas.
One of the areas that has been focused on is the creation of the so-called “Zone 30”where the speed limit is 30 kilometers per hour. These areas have been established near schools, parks or residential areas. Many Italian cities are in fact following the example of European cities, such as Paris and Berlin.
The issue of lowering speed limits is linked to the use of speed cameras, electronic devices that record the speed of vehicles. Speed cameras are very common in Italy, and their use has increased over the years, sometimes fueling controversy. On the one hand, it is considered a useful tool for respecting speed limits. On the other hand, some argue that it is a way to raise funds for municipalities, rather than making the roads safer.
Strong disappointment with Hidalgo’s choice
Mayor Hidalgo’s decision has raised mixed opinions. Environmentalists are in favor of this choice, while criticism on the Internet and in the media is incessant. In fact, given the significant function of the large rotating ring road that surrounds Paris, a “tragedy” for traffic is expected. In fact, this is not the first change of rules related to the Ring Road, as the limit had already been reduced from 80 to 70 km/h.
Bruno Ponset, a railway worker, said the following:
“At 70 km/h it’s already boring. At 50 km/h it will be a disaster. The Ring Road at 50 km/h will be a massacre“.
Meanwhile, radio host Joëlle Dago-Serry also expressed criticism, declaring:
“Why not 30 km/h, 20 km/h? I think Anne Hidalgo has a plan for Paris. Until we all walk around, with a baguette under our arm and a cap, living like in a postcard, without economic life will it not be serene?“.
In short, a series of criticisms have rained down on the decision made by the mayor of Paris.
Will Paris Mayor’s Decision Reduce Pollution?
Currently, the impact on air pollution is difficult to define. Of course, the faster the car goes, the more fuel consumption and CO2 emissions increase. But according to research by AirParif, going from 130 to 110 km/h would reduce greenhouse gases by 20%, while going from 70 to 50 km/h or from 50 to 30 km/h /h, the results seem to be discrepant.
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