Paris is latest city to slash speed limits

If you've ever braved Paris's périphérique, you'll know how it can feel like the chariot scene from Ben Hur. However, from this month, drivers on the busy ring road are now limited to 50 km/h (30 mph). The decision by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo follows almost two decades of discussion on how to reduce noise, pollution and danger from the road.

The new speed limit main now requires approval from the national government and police. While Hidalgo has authority over the périphérique, the national government needs to issue a decree to officially change the speed limit.

Hidalgo's Green party deputy, David Belliard, supports the move, pointing out that the last speed reduction from 80 km/h to 70 km/h significantly reduced the number of crashes. He has also mentioned that lowering the speed limit will ease congestion by reducing the frequent start-stop nature of traffic on the peripherique.

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Elsewhere in France, the speed limit on secondary roads - the two-lane highways that crisscross 400,000 km of the country -  was reduced from 90km/h to 80km/h as part of attempts to reduce road deaths, which reached nearly 3,500 in 2016.

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Driving in France
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Don’t forget that for short-term driving trips in France and beyond, European breakdown cover from the ETA offers fantastic value. With English-speaking helplines and assistance available 24/7, you can rest assured that help is at hand should you break down abroad.

Cities reducing speed limits worldwide

Cities reducing speed limits worldwide

Paris is not alone in lowering speed limits to improve safety, reduce pollution, and make urban spaces more liveable.  

For example, in Spain, the government reduced speed limits in cities to 30 km/h on single carriageways in 2021. This law, which applies to all urban areas, aims to reduce  road traffic collisions and make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Helsinki has gone even further. In some residential communities, the speed limit is 20 km/h. As a result, the city reported not a single pedestrian or cyclist road death in 2019 - a remarkable achievement for urban road safety.

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