Paris mayor confirms plans to reduce speed limit to 50km/h on city ring road
The reduction from 70 km/h is not supported by the government but the mairie says it is needed to reduce pollution on the périphérique
The Paris ring road, le périphérique, which is one of France’s busiest roads, will be limited to 50km/h from October
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The speed limit on the Paris ring road, le périphérique, is to be reduced from 70 to 50km/h from October, despite government opposition, mayor Anne Hidalgo has confirmed.
The reduction, which was first announced in November 2023, is part of the city’s wider push to reduce car pollution, including a ban on Crit’Air level 3 vehicles due to come into effect by the start of 2025.
In an interview with Ouest France on August 31, Ms Hidalgo said that France needs to do more to meet its climate objectives.
“France is regularly criticised for failing to meet its targets for reducing pollution”, she said. “This is a public health measure for the 500,000 people who live near Le périphérique.”
“Le périphérique will go from 70 to 50km/h from October.”
Ms Hidalgo has also confirmed that the areas around the Eiffel tower, including the Pont d'Iéna and Place de Varsovie that were pedestrianised for the Olympic Games will remain car-free, with the exception of emergency vehicles.
Government opposition
However, successive transport ministers have opposed the change, with current caretaker Minister of Transport Patrice Vergriete saying he is “not in favour”.
“80% of people on le périphérique are not Parisians,” he told Le Parisien. “We have to stop stigmatising people who have no choice but to use their car
The president of the Ile-de-France region Valérie Pécresse has also voiced her opposition, as has the head of the Paris police, Laurent Nunez, who said in May that such a move would require his authorisation, which the mairie contests.
Concerning the government’s opposition, Ms Hidalgo, who has been mayor since 2014 and thought likely to stand for reelection in 2026, told Le Parisien that the mairie would press on with the matter “in full respect of the law”.
