Business · 5 April 2026
Paris added bike lanes, cut car traffic
Photo by François-Xavier Chamoulaud on Unsplash
Paris has shed its car-focused image, with air pollution levels now improving for residents. Mayor Anne Hidalgo, leaving office after 12 years, began this transformation in 2014 by adding hundreds of kilometres of bike lanes and reclaiming public areas. She also pedestrianised 300 school streets, banned cars from the Seine's banks, and converted parking spots into green spaces and cafe terraces.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs