Approximately two-thirds of the cast ballots favored the so-called “garden road” schemes, according to Mayor Anne Hidalgo, although only 4% of the 1.4 million registered voters participated in the referendum.
“This vote reinforces our commitment to continue sharing public space for pedestrians and to make Paris greener,” said Christophe Najdovski, deputy mayor in charge of green spaces, in a statement to French news agency AFP.
What will Paris’ ‘garden road’ scheme involve?
Currently, about 220 out of Paris’ 6,000 roads are car-free, most of which are located near schools.
Following the vote, which took place on Sunday, around 10,000 parking spots will be removed from the city.
Consultations are planned “in the coming weeks” to determine which streets will be pedestrianized, according to city authorities. The plan aims to remove cars from around 25 streets per arrondissement, or administrative district.
Sunday’s vote was the third referendum brought forward by the Socialist mayor to improve the capital’s congested road network. The previous votes resulted in the banning of e-scooters and tripling parking fees for SUVs.
Opponents criticize vote as PR stunt
Opposition parties have criticized Sunday’s referendum, calling it a publicity stunt and accusing the mayor of not addressing the daily problems faced by Parisians.
“Parisians were not interested in participating in a PR campaign by the city hall,” stated Nelly Garnier, a member of the right-wing opposition, referring to the historically low voter turnout.
Since taking office as the French capital’s leader in 2014, Mayor Hidalgo has implemented measures to fight congestion and improve air quality.
Recently, she restricted traffic on one lane of Paris’ busy ring road to car sharing during rush hours and lowered the speed limit on the highway.
Hidalgo plans to step down in 2026 mayoral election.
Edited by: Wesley Rahn
