Déjà 4 jours qu'il y a plus de vélos que de voitures sur le Boulevard Sébastopol ! Moins de voitures, c'est moins de pollution. D'ailleurs, depuis 2011, la pollution a baissé de 40 %. pic.twitter.com/PBrm0zdfsw
— Paris (@Paris) June 28, 2024
Hey there! Some good news for the planet, but maybe not so great for those who use this busy road every day. Yes, I'm talking about Boulevard Sébastopol, which is probably one of the worst spots in the city for riding a bike. It's super long and always jam-packed with people rushing around, trying to avoid collisions in the tight space. So, the boulevard becomes a symphony of bike bells and unfortunately, a hotspot for frequent accidents, although thankfully most of them are minor.
Cars are on the decline
Despite these challenges for cyclists and pedestrians, this is actually a positive development in line with current trends. Remember when we talked a few months back about fewer cars in the city? It's all part of creating a more sustainable, bike-friendly urban environment.
Today, we're excited to share that a new report reveals there are now more bicycles than cars in the capital for the first time ever. It's awesome to see people choosing eco-friendly transportation options, and even better to know that it's making a real impact on climate change. The city council reports a 40% decrease in pollution on Boulevard Sébastopol compared to 2011. How cool is that? 🚲🌍😊Le boulevard Sébastopol (Paris) vers 18h20 montre de façon éloquente que même avec un flux de trafic TRES dense, l'efficacité du vélo lui permet de ne jamais subir de congestion.
— Brice Perrin (@briceperrin) July 3, 2024
A comparer avec les deux voies motorisées sur la gauche, vite saturées avec quelques véhicules. pic.twitter.com/UD2UhWVzOO
Unfortunately, if the increase in the number of cyclists continues to accelerate (which we hope it will), it will become urgent to develop certain routes in the capital to the best of our ability. This means more welcoming paths, better designed and less congested. Starting with Boulevard Sébastopol, which this summer passed the symbolic milestone of 2 million users since its inauguration in 2019. But it will also require a monumental effort from all road users to be more civilized and respect each other. We are counting on you!