Reducing the use of car and promote more frequent usage of bicycle

1. Reducing the use of cars and promote more frequent usage of bicycles

Paris is a city with many cars and two wheelers causing traffic jams during rush hours mostly at several busy shopping places. Pedestrians as well as bicycle riders face hard time crossing the streets or simply driving around at the risk of being crushed by cars. But, most importantly exhausts fumes are a serious cause of air pollution and a threat to public health affecting mainly children, elderly people, provoking allergies and asthma crisis.

Over the past ten years, the city municipality has transformed Paris to improve the quality of life of Parisians and visitors (attendance of trees for example). But, more needs to be done to reduce air pollution and improve public health by reducing car circulation, promoting public transportation and the use of bicycles. People driving cars are most of the time alone, while bus services transport many people at the same time.

The solution

• There are several measures that have been undertaken that need to be carried on such as: the growing usage of vélib and autolib rental services and the use of public transportation, which are now circulating on a special lane separated by a concrete band.
• Parisians should be encouraged to not use their cars, to park them in affordable parking places and encouraged to use public transportation and bicycles.
• There is an absolute need to build parking places for cars and two wheelers in and around the city limits. Car commuters from suburbs and elsewhere should be encouraged to park their cars in those affordable parking places and use public transportation to commute to work.
• There may be exceptions for trucks and vans delivering goods to businesses, emergency medical services and those with frequent use of cars for their work.
• Lastly, parks and green places should be developed for bicycle riders, pedestrians, children and elderly to enjoy the city life and preserve biodiversity in Paris (i.e. trees, animals such as squirrels, birds, etc.) Indeed, the density of buildings reduces breathing spaces as described in the picture entitled “Outside in”.

     Paris is a beautiful city to live in. Let us protect it. 

...