Parking in Paris will be an expensive affair for heavy cars – drastically increased parking rates will apply from the beginning of October. One hour of parking in the center now costs 18 euros for heavy SUVs and other heavy vehicles, and 225 euros for six hours.
Outside the center the rates are slightly lower. For example, residents of the capital, craftsmen or the disabled are exempt from the scheme.
Higher rates apply to combustion engines from 1.6 tonnes
In a citizen survey in which just under six percent of eligible voters participated, 54.5 percent were in favor of increasing parking rates at the beginning of February. The rate should apply to combustion engine and hybrid models weighing 1.6 tonnes or more, and electric models weighing two tonnes or more. The scheme does not apply to private parking garages. The city states that the heavy cars caused more environmental pollution, took up a lot of public space and endangered road safety.
Video cars monitor parking spaces
Monitoring the new regulations is relatively simple. Paid parking in Paris has been monitored for some time now with video vans that record the license plates of parked cars. Anyone who parks must first enter their license plate number at the parking meter. When the license plates are automatically compared, the city has access to the owners and vehicle data and therefore knows in which weight class the parked cars fall.
The cycle path network in Paris is growing
The citizen survey gained support from Mayor Anne Hidalgo for a further step in the transport transition, which she and the red-green city council are continuing despite resistance. Years ago, she had several streets along the Seine closed to cars and made accessible to pedestrians. The cycle path network in Paris is growing, reducing the number of car lanes and parking spaces.
The rental of e-scooters has been abolished
New green space is being created and the 30 km/h speed limit has been introduced almost everywhere in the city. Just over a year ago, e-scooter rentals ended in Paris after a majority voted against the scooters in a citizen survey.
And from the beginning of October, despite protests from the Minister of Transport himself, the mayor introduced a new measure that upset many drivers. On the city highway, the busy “Périphérique”, the maximum permitted speed is reduced from 70 to 50 km/h. This should, among other things, mean less noise pollution for the many residents of the highway. However, the average speed on the ring road during rush hour is well below 50 kilometers per hour.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
