Paris has a choice: cars out of hundreds of streets?

This could now change bit by bit: Parisians can vote today on whether cars should be banned from hundreds of the city's streets. Some are enthusiastic about co-determination, space for citizens and less pollution. Others complain about propaganda, high costs and blatant restrictions.

Parisians like to walk - car traffic has fallen since 2002

People in Paris walk the most. According to the city, almost two thirds of their journeys are made on foot. Cars are rarely used on inner-city routes, but still take up more than half of public space.

Since 2002, car traffic in Paris has fallen by almost 50 percent. The days when cars used to drive right next to the Seine are long gone. And on numerous major roads that criss-cross the city, lanes have also had to make way for cycle paths and wider footpaths.

Paris city hall very keen to change traffic patterns

A 30 km/h speed limit now applies in large parts of the socialist-ruled city, a zone in the city center has recently been closed to through traffic, and on Sundays, streets here and there belong to cyclists and pedestrians. And around 220 of the more than 6,000 streets in Paris are already car-free zones - many of them near schools.

Paris is also concerned with adapting to climate change. The pedestrian zones are small green spaces in the otherwise densely built-up city. Paris now has considerably less bad air to contend with than it did ten years ago.

Between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., the almost 1.4 million registered voters can now decide whether 500 more streets throughout the city should be planted and turned into car-free zones. This would eliminate 10,000 parking spaces and drivers would have to be prepared for detours. For the first time, 16 and 17-year-olds are also allowed to vote. The result is expected late this evening.

Each arrondissement could get 25 new pedestrian streets

If Parisians vote in favor of the car-free streets in the referendum, around 25 more could soon be created in each of the 20 arrondissements, or city districts. Exactly which streets these could be has not yet been decided. According to the deputy mayor of Paris, Patrick Bloche, implementation would probably take around three to four years.

However, elections are due to be held in Paris next year. It is possible that the conservative forces in Paris will then take over the city hall from the previous socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo.

It is highly doubtful that the conservatives will continue to pursue the transformation of the streets. Their spokesperson Aurélien Véron criticized the citizens' survey as a communication campaign and propaganda. The questions were demagogic and people were being taken for fools. Traders, old people and even emergency services would be restricted by the driving bans. And the costs would amount to 250 million euros. In fact, the mayor's deputy Bloche spoke in the "Parisien" of expenditure of around 500,000 euros per street.

Anouch Toranian, who is responsible for citizen participation in the city hall, argues that it is about space that is made available to people, less pollution and less noise pollution. The city also wants to involve people more. Paris has already consulted its residents twice on the transport transition - on the ban on e-scooters for hire and on higher parking fees for heavy cars.

Only around 7.5 and 6 percent of eligible voters took part in the polls. Toranian would already be satisfied with one percent, she says. "If there is one Parisian who votes, that would already be a success."

Road closure by referendum not conceivable in Germany

In Germany, a procedure like the one in Paris would be unthinkable. Roads cannot be closed here by referendum, but by means of a procedure for de-dedication, as Helmut Dedy, Managing Director of the Association of German Cities, explains. This would take into account the interests of all road users - including traders, for example.

Many German cities have long been striving for a good traffic mix. "This can also include closing roads to motorized traffic if it fits in with the local traffic concept." But one thing is clear: "If we want less car traffic, then we need more public transport with good frequency and good accessibility." This is where the problem lies, as the financial situation of cities is dramatic. They need more financial support from the federal and state governments for local public transport.