For the start of the school year, the bikers are going to crash. From September 1, motorized two-wheelers will have to pay for their parking in the capital. This measure of the City of Paris, thought for environmental reasons, makes the regulars of the motorcycle scold. Especially since the real effectiveness of the project may be far from what is expected…
3 € per hour for visitors
On its website, the City of Paris explains how parking works in its article: “All about paid parking for motorized 2-wheelers”. The least we can say is that you have to hold on to fully understand. Why make it simple when you can make it complicated ? In short :
– Paris is separated into two zones : 1 for arrondissements from 1 to 11, and 2 for arrondissements from 12 to 20. Parking in zone 1 is more expensive than in zone 2.
– Parking will be charged from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m..
– For visitors (non-residents) on the road : €37.50 for 6 hours in zone 1; €25 for 6 hours in zone 2. These amounts correspond to the post-parking package (FPS), due in the event of non-payment.
– For roadside residents : subscription at €22.50 for one year which gives the status of “resident”. Once resident, the price of parking increases to €4.50 per week.
– 2WD Pass option for underground car parks : €90 per month in zone 1; €70 per month in zone 2.
– Free for electric two-wheelerspeople with disabilities and home care professionals.
Old bikers than ever!
By way of example, CNEWS reports the words of Marie, a 32-year-old mother accustomed to scooters: “If she has enjoyed her scooter for years, from Thursday she will have to pay the residential subscription at 22.50 euros per year, to which are added the 4.50 euros per week, as well as a parking subscription. located near his office – benefiting from the 2WD Pass – at 90 euros per month. That is more than 200 euros per month and 2,416.50 euros in additional expenses over one year. Just that !
Unsurprisingly, the French Federation of Angry Bikers (FFMC) protests against this measure: “In traffic, a scooter is not one more vehicle, but one less car. […] It is clear that we often see people alone in cars with 4 to 6 seats. We are arriving in a much lighter vehicle, because it is optimized with two seats, and is already 50% occupied by its driver”explains Jean-Marc Belotti, Paris and small crown coordinator of the French Federation of Angry Bikers (FFMC).
But that’s not enough for the City of Paris, led with a green hand by Anne Hidalgo. If they don’t want to drink, bikers now have two options: go electric, or cycle. In both cases, other problems arise.
Electricity: panacea or not enough?
As environmentalists hail a “public health measure”thought for “fight against pollution”the online daily Reporterre adds a nuance: “Electric driving is not a panacea either. The damage to the environment is not zero.” If the carbon emissions linked to combustion are ten times lower than those of a thermal vehicle, “the manufacturing phase of electric models contributes much more significantly to the contamination of water tables.” In June 2021, Nicolas Meunier summed up the point on our set: “The electric car pollutes elsewhere, but no less”. The same goes for two-wheelers…
Still, this provision is a favorite with electric two-wheeler dealers, even if the models are significantly more expensive than their outdated counterparts.
Finally, in the event that motorcyclists resign themselves to opting for a bicycle, the problem lies in the fact that they abound in the capital, without there being adequate control. If they are supposed to respect the same Highway Code as motorized vehicles, not all comply, far from it. However, bicycles (electric, again) can now reach a speed of 45 km/h without any problem. So much so that Le Parisien wondered: “Can we still call it a bicycle?” In any case, already in 2020, the Paris Police Prefecture deplored an increase of more than 30% in bicycle accidents in the capital. Less violent, of course, but also less protected… There is no doubt that by increasing the number of users on the slopes, things will not work out…