Paris To Ban Most Cars in 'Quiet Zone'

Continuing Mayor Anne Hidalgo's efforts to make Paris more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, the city plans to implement a 'car-light' zone in the city center that prohibits through traffic.

2 minute read

February 28, 2022, 11:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Bike Traffic

Michel Passet / Shutterstock

In an article in Fast Company, Adele Peters reports on a plan to make a section of downtown Paris 'car-light' by limiting the traffic that can pass through it. 

"The area, which the city is calling a zone apaisée or quiet zone, won’t be car-free—residents will still be able to drive there, and if someone is going to a store or art gallery or another destination in the area, they’ll still be able [to] arrive by car." Vehicles will be checked by police and, eventually, automated cameras. "Delivery drivers, taxis, buses, ridesharing vehicles, disabled people, and people going to work in the area will also be able to drive." But banning the more than 100,000 trips made by cars cutting through the zone, writes Peters, can make a significant dent in the neighborhood's air pollution.

Paris has been phasing out the most polluting diesel vehicles, and the government has said that it plans to ban all fossil fuel-powered vehicles by the end of the decade. But the city isn’t relying on electric cars to reach that goal; Instead, it’s working to shift drivers to bikes, walking, or public transportation, which can also improve safety by reducing accidents and open up room for more green space or other uses, improving quality of life.

The project isn't without its critics, notes Peters. "The city police department, which shares jurisdiction for the project, has opposed its immediate rollout, so the city slowed down its timeline. Local business owners have also opposed it, saying that they’re worried they’ll lose customers, though that’s unlikely to happen; in other cities where car traffic has been reduced, pedestrians and cyclists have replaced customers in cars."

Pierre Dornier, the France lead for the Clean Cities Campaign, told Fast Company that it's important for the city to complement the car-light zone with a citywide mobility plan that ensures traffic isn't simply diverted to other areas. According to Dornier, "Paris already has such a strong public transportation system that he thinks the low-traffic zone could be expanded across the whole city."

Tuesday, February 22, 2022 in Fast Company

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight