Paris has recently limited transportation in the Rivoli Street to buses and bicycles, and now officials are seeking to expand these restrictions to include the historic and commercial center of the capital.
The Rivoli Street, which passes by the Louvre, is one of the most congested areas in the city, and features branches of most fashion stores and fast food chains.
In a press statement, David Belliard, deputy mayor of Paris, said the municipality is considering dedicating the heart of the capital for pedestrians and cyclists. This step would remarkably contribute to limiting the pollution affecting Parisians living in the city's center, as well as tourists.
Belliard noted that many other cities have preceded Paris to imposing such measures including Madrid, Rome, and Milan.
Other capitals, like London, have also imposed fines on drivers who pass in the city center. In France, cities including Lille and Nantes have taken similar steps, too.
According to the municipality's figures, over 180,000 cars circulate in this area every day, 100,000 of them pass without stopping in it.
Once the plan is launched, central Paris will be dedicated to pedestrians, public buses, taxis, and delivery drivers. It's not clear yet whether the permission will include tourist buses.
In addition to reducing pollution, this step is aimed at ensuring the safety and security of passengers and shoppers in the markets, reducing the noise, and improving the flow of public transportations.
The restriction experience in the Rivoli contributed to 2 degree less pollution in the atmosphere.
The regions included under the restrictions are the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh arrondissements in Paris, which cover the streets surrounding the Pompidou Centre and the Latin Quarter, in addition to parts of the St. Michel and St. German boulevards.
This area covers 7 percent of the Parisian pavements. However, the new measures won't include the Champs-Élysées Avenue, or the streets surrounding the Eiffel Tower.
