Paris is adding another wrinkle to its campaign to limit cars and other gas-burning vehicles and give preference to humanpower and electric. Starting next year, non-electric motorbikes and scooters will have to pay for parking, although at half the rate for cars.
According to Le Parisien newspaper, that could affect 100,000 commuters a day who will have to pay €1.20 to €2 per hour, depending on location. And, speaking of location, they will now be allowed to park in spaces previously reserved for cars. In addition, the city will add 5,000 dedicated spaces for them in addition to the existing 40,000.
And, continuing Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s re-election promises from last year, which included the motorbike parking change, about half of the city’s 65,000 legal street parking spaces will be turned into cycling paths, green areas or wider sidewalks in a city noted for many narrow ones.
Significant numbers of the remaining spaces will be reserved for drivers with disabilities, car sharers, deliver workers and taxis. And as for bicycles and electric two-wheelers, parking will still be free.
