Paris bans old cars

PARIS: The French capital banned old, exhaust-belching cars from its streets yesterday in its ongoing war on air pollution.

Environmentalists hope it will also drive dirty vehicles from the centres of other European cities.

Any car registered before 1997, will be barred from driving on the city’s streets from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 8pm.

Some owners protested by parking their old dirty vehicles near the National Assembly and the Champs-Élysées to denounce a ban, which they say will hurt poor people the most.