Whilst the use of cars has increased in most French cities, initiatives in Paris have promoted better and more frequent use of public transport, according to the latest Cour des Comptes report.
New bus lanes, wider pavements, reduced parking facilities at higher prices and a boulevard tramway are all said to have contributed to reducing Paris’s road usage by almost 10 per cent.
“This report emphasises Paris’s commitment to public transport and demonstrates that they can comfortably handle the increased use of buses and trains,” said Panos Protsopaltis, ATHOC transport general manager and Paris 2012 consultant.
Paris 2012 has already announced plans to introduce low-emission buses, 20,000 of free bicycles and cycle paths, additional river shuttles and an extension to the Metro network.
The city hopes the use of cars will drop to less than 35 per cent in favour of public transport by 2012.
