Paris plans to ban heavy vehicles in environmental push

Many European cities strive to reduce vehicle traffic on their streets, and Paris is no exception. The French capital is known for its strict approach to cars, especially larger ones, as evidenced by the recently implemented higher parking fees.

Drivers of large SUVs who want to park in the city center must pay as much as $19 per hour. But that's not all—Mayor Anne Hidalgo plans another law that will significantly impact users of large cars.

Increasing traffic jams, parking issues, and pro-environmental ambitions have prompted Anne Hidalgo to propose a project to ban all internal combustion vehicles weighing over 3,750 pounds and electric vehicles weighing over 4,400 pounds.

Ian Brossat, deputy to Hidalgo, pointed out that while there are certainly rural areas where this type of vehicle is necessary, in a city like Paris, the most densely populated city in Europe, such cars are not needed.

If the proposed law comes into effect, it will exclude many modern SUVs from Paris traffic. However, it's worth noting that the number of Parisians affected will be relatively small. Currently, only 30% of the city's residents use any car, and SUVs account for about one-quarter of the vehicles on those streets.