Strasbourg Christmas Market: a capacity limit should be established to prevent overcrowding

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The Editor

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With 3.3 million visitors last year, the Strasbourg Christmas market is breaking attendance records, sparking a debate about overcrowding. Jacques Witowski, the new prefect of Bas-Rhin, suggests limiting entry to ensure safety and enhance the visitor experience. Let us explain.

Freshly appointed, Jacques Witowski shares with our colleagues from BFM Alsace that he’s already imagining a limit for the Strasbourg Christmas market, a thought revived after the record attendance in 2022 (+17%). The idea? On busy days, like Saturdays, to limit access to the Grand Île to regulate traffic based on the exits. “80,000 visitors is not the same as 100,000 in terms of safety,” the prefect points out, who wants to adjust the emergency services and control measures to avoid blockages in the most crowded streets.

A system to better manage crowds

In the future, this gauge could be calculated using public transport data, despite its limitations. The final security system, developed in cooperation with the municipality of Strasbourg, is set to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Source : BFM Alsace