Paris follows major European cities with introduction of car-free zones - and residents don't notice

On an early November morning, Parisians woke up to potentially more traffic-free streets, as a new ban on motorists in the first four arrondissements of central Paris came into effect.

Some forty signs had appeared overnight indicating the entrance to a new limited traffic zone, or ‘ZTL’, which was put in place by the city council.

Only certain vehicles, such as emergency vehicles, buses, taxis, and people with reduced mobility and motorists residing or working in the area, will be allowed to drive through the ZTL.

It covers an area of ​​approximately 5.5 square kilometres where 100,000 people live.

‘Destination journeys’ that start and end in the zoned area are also allowed, such as going to a medical appointment, shopping or visiting the theatre.

City officials hope that this initiative will help reduce noise and air pollution in the capital’s centre.

The air in Paris is currently ranked as moderately polluted with a fine particulate matter of 10.5 μg/m3, according to the New European Environment Agency. To protect health, the World Health Organisation recommends a maximum level of 5 μg/m3 for long-term exposure.

The scheme is also expected to reduce the volume of traffic in the busiest streets, including a 30 per cent reduction on the popular thoroughfare of Avenue de l'Opéra and a 15 per cent decrease on Boulevard de Sébastopol, further east.

Paris is the latest major city to focus on fewer vehicles, following in the footsteps of Madrid, Milan, London and Rome.

Yet many Parisians haven’t noticed or simply don’t care about the new measures.

There are currently no visible controls or checks along the banks of the River Seine. Some denounce the scheme as unenforceable and warn that it could lead to traffic jams and