Road safety – The Parisian periphery limited to 70 km-h from Friday –

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The Parisian periphery limited to 70 km / h from Friday

Road safety - The Parisian periphery limited to 70 km-h from Friday -

This Friday January 10 at 5 a.m. – two months before the municipal elections which should see Bertrand Delanoë leave his chair as mayor of Paris to his runner-up Anne Hidalgo (PS) – the speed authorized on the ring road will increase to 70 km / h at instead of 80.

This Friday January 10 at 5 a.m. – two months away from the municipal elections which should see Bertrand Delanoë leave his chair as mayor of Paris to his runner-up Anne Hidalgo (PS) – the authorized speed on the ring road will increase to 70 km / h at instead of 80.

"The decree taken by the ministers of the interior and ecology was examined at the end of the year by the Council of State which gave a favorable opinion", rejoices the town hall of Paris whose services are currently in changing the 150 signs indicating the maximum speed.

"Smoking in communication"

Knowing that the 1.3 million vehicles that use this "fast" lane every day (40% of car traffic in Paris) actually run most of the time at idle due to traffic jams (37 km / h on average during home-work trips), what can we expect from this new measure ?

"That happiness" naturally according to the town hall which advances in terms of pollution, noise pollution and road safety. "That negative points" on the contrary for the association 40 million motorists, while the French Federation of angry motorcyclists (FFMC) denounces an operation "of smoking in communication"…

Pollution

In terms of pollution, the mayor of Paris is basing its hopes on "a drop in atmospheric pollutants of up to 5%", but 40 million motorists estimate that this drop of 10 km / h "will have the effect of d ‘increase the polluting emissions of benzene, thus offsetting the relative gain in terms of CO2 ".

Noise

Regarding noise pollution for residents (100,000 inhabitants according to the town hall), the municipality estimates that the noise generated by traffic on the periphery "could decrease by 1.7 decibels for light vehicles and by 1.2 decibels. for heavy goods vehicles, which is equivalent to a 15 to 20% reduction in traffic. The off-peak periods, when vehicles are moving the fastest, are particularly noisy. This reduction in noise level should therefore be particularly appreciable at night ".

Except that for 40 million motorists, "this argument used by the mayor of Paris has no basis in the studies currently carried out": this "measure" would bring "only an insignificant drop of 1 decibel according to the CERTU, ie an imperceptible change for our hearing according to specialists ".

On the other hand, the association points to the interest "of investing in road infrastructures such as new generation asphalt", which "would make it possible to lower sound perception by 9 decibels and make the change noticeable". Finally, she believes that with "the modernization of our vehicles and pneumatic equipment, we can also reduce noise pollution by 5 decibels".

Road safety

Finally, where Bertrand Delanoë is targeting "a 23% drop in the number of accidents and a reduction of nearly 65% ​​in the number of serious injuries and deaths" thanks to this measure, 40 million motorists estimate that "from 80 to 70 km / h will have no impact on the accident ".

"This decision has no basis either in terms of pollution or in terms of safety", deplores Pierre Chasseray, general delegate of 40 million motorists, wondering about his "real objective"…

Daniel Quero, president of the association, openly wonders "about this decision taken two months before the municipal elections, which could satisfy an ultra Parisian autophobic micro-electorate, but which sanctions a million and a half of motorists every day".

"Give the impression that we are working"

For the FFMC, this measure is only "the prelude to other speed reductions to come: therefore, this 70 km / h would only be the step towards 50 km / h and perhaps even less" … "Failing to purify the atmosphere, the town hall of Paris is brewing air, trying to make us believe that it will become breathable by reinforcing sustainable traffic jams", regrets the association for the defense of bikers.

For its part, the French Motorcycling Federation (FFM) "notes a desire to mystify public opinion by taking a measure whose effectiveness remains to be fully demonstrated but which makes it possible to communicate and give the impression that we are working ". She "denounces this method contrary to all the speeches made during the consultation and the measure which, for its part, is a pure dogmatism".

In the meantime, one thing is certain: the 16 automatic radars lining the ring road have not finished illuminating the Parisian night….

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