In the third of a series of increasingly disregarded referenda, the people of Paris yesterday voted in favour of the creation of 500 new rues-jardin – streets featuring pedestrianised areas and extra green spaces and trees.
Close to 66% of the votes cast were in favour of the measures however, of the 1,391,369 people eligible to vote, only 56,489 (4.06%) did so.
This low turn-out is consistent with the previous two referenda: The vote to ban e-scooters in 2023 and last year’s vote to triple parking charges for SUVs attracted a turn-out of just 7.46% and 5.68% respectively.
Work will now begin to identify the streets to be greened and pedestrianised. The intention is that the 500 rues-jardin will be distributed evenly across the city, with between five and eight per district. It is thought that it will take three years to implement all the work, with each street receiving an investment of around €500,000.
Since 2020, more than 10,000 parking spaces have been removed from the streets, and 197 streets have already been greened under mayor Anne Hidalgo’s drive to improve air quality in the city.
Speaking to franceinfo after the vote, Christophe Najdovski, deputy mayor in charge of green spaces said: ‘We are simply going to continue and even amplify these measures. I hope that we will have the collaboration of all the district mayors, because it is a very broad will that has been expressed at the level of Paris, including in districts that are now held by opposition mayors.’
Referring to the low turn-out, he said: ‘There is a desire for citizen participation that has been expressed despite everything. It’s true that we are in a context very strongly marked by national or international issues where local issues are less in the spotlight, but there are still Parisians who went to vote.’
Clément Drognat Landré, coordinator of the Clean Cities campaign in France said: ‘Paris is once again setting the standard for the cities of tomorrow. This vote sends a powerful message: Parisians want bold action for a liveable and healthy capital. Just as the metro shaped mobility in the 20th century, this decision is an era-defining step towards a more liveable city where every resident, regardless of their neighbourhood, can enjoy cleaner air and better public spaces.’
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