A consultation was launched this week on the initiative, outlined in an interview with Le Parisien by deputy mayor David Belliard, which will cover the entirety of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arrondissements and, across the Seine on the Rive Gauche, parts of the 5th, 6th and 7th arrondisements, as shown in this graphic.
To draw an analogy from the UK capital, the zone is similar in size to one running from Oxford Circus to St Paul’s Cathedral and from the British Museum to the Houses of Parliament.
Not all motor traffic will be banned from the centre of Paris – local residents will have access, as will buses, taxis, tradesmen, professionals and delivery vehicles needing access to the city centre, although no decision has yet been made on whether tourist coaches will be exempt.

The simple idea of ‘putting stuff closer together so it’s easier to get to the stuff’ is driving the popularity of 15 – 20 minute centres. But as the new Planning Bill is introduced, should we know more about the implications of narrowing travel patterns, the potential for inequality, impacts on travel demand and the big picture for infrastructure investment?

12/5/21 Dan Saunders

Transport accessibility is imperative for sustainable urban growth. As the Government reveals its new Planning Bill this week, with a focus on house-building, the transport accessibility of new developments is increasingly under the spotlight…

Sustainability is all about making decisions that do not have negative consequences for either current or future generations.  With the government planning on building hundreds of thousands of new homes a year, they need to be built sustainably. The ethos of a 20-minute city encompasses this.

travel options for everyone.

Mainly a bid to reduce road deaths, but recent changes in the way that people move around cities, such as the growing popularity of cycling, is also behind the new restrictionsFrom 11 May, the maximum speed on the majority of Spanish streets will be set at 30km/h. According to an estimate by the DGT state traffic authority, the new measure will affect between 60% and 70% of roads, although this percentage will of course vary from city to city, according to El Pais.

The measure comes after a royal decree was approved by the central government in November, and will be implemented on single-lane roads in each direction of travel. Roads that have a sidewalk at the same height will be limited to 20km/h, while those that have two or more lanes in each direction of traffic will have their speeds limited to 50km/h.

Matt Baynham, head of sustainability at Islabikes, said: “With more home deliveries than ever, and more vans clogging our streets, we are keen to improve air quality and reduce congestion in our home town.”

If the trial is successful, it is hoped the service will expand and become permanent, while providing a template for entrepreneurs in other small towns who are interested in delivering goods by bike.

Markus Stitz’s most recent film, Built to Last, takes place over seven different locations within the Cateran Ecomuseum. The 10-minute documentary launches along with seven new cycling itineraries designed for road, mountain, gravel, and touring bikes as part of Travel for All Our Tomorrows with the aim of developing new regenerative tourism experiences within the area.