Olympic Games 2024: Paris postpones ZTL
Paris is preparing for the 2024 Olympics while taking measures to improve air quality and road safety. And how? By postponing the introduction of a traffic-calmed zone (ZTL) in the city center until after the games. A measure that takes into account both the logistical requirements of the major event and underlines the city's commitment to a sustainable and healthy urban environment.
A traffic-calmed zone was originally supposed to be set up in the center of Paris in the second half of 2022. However, plans have changed. Now the zone will only be introduced after the 2024 Olympic Games, as the Paris city administration announced in a press release.
Why this shift? France has been condemned by the European Court of Justice for failing to comply with air quality standards from 2019. The ZTL is a concrete response to this environmental challenge. It is intended to reduce through traffic and promote more sustainable means of transport in Paris' arrondissements 1, 2, 3 and 4. However, discussions with the police prefecture have not yet been completed and the final decision on the scope of the ZTL rests with the police prefecture.
Similar changes are already in preparation in the Marais district and the Louvre-Opéra area. They include, among other things, the establishment of bus lanes and pedestrian zones. The aim of the ZTL is to reduce motorized traffic and thus improve traffic safety and air quality. At the same time, a better division of public space between pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users should be promoted.
The introduction of the ZTL is expected to lead to a significant reduction in traffic volumes in central Paris. This will have a positive impact on pollutant and noise levels. For example, significant traffic relief is expected on main roads such as the Avenue de l'Opéra.
The project will continue to move forward and the next milestones will be the submission of the impact assessment at the end of 2023 and a public hearing in spring 2024. The official implementation of the ZTL is then planned for autumn 2024.
A system of traffic signs and controls is planned to prohibit transit traffic. The checks will take place when leaving the zone. First of all, the focus is on education. Later it will be necessary to prove resident status or membership in exempt categories such as delivery services or retailers. In the long term, video surveillance could also be introduced.
The planned ZTL in central Paris is not the only attempt to improve the air in the French capital. The ZFE (Zone à Faibles Émissions) and ZPA (zones de protection de l'air) have already been introduced in the urban area, as well as Sunday driving bans. The limit values for air pollution are measured and monitored in the environmental zones. The Paris city government's urban mobility strategy demonstrates its commitment to a more sustainable and healthy urban environment.