Paris bans all pre-1997 cars in bid to limit smog

ALL cars made before 1997 are to be banned from Paris under drastic measures to combat the city’s toxic smog. New laws, which come into effect next month, will also ban motorcycles registered before 2000 from the city centre on weekdays.

The move is part of a larger plan to only allow vehicles that are less than 10 years old on the capital’s streets by 2020.

But the reforms will likely hit the worst off the hardest because they won’t be able to afford more modern cars.

The pollution-busting restrictions sparked an angry backlash from bikers when they were proposed by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo last year. Hundreds of motorcyclists rode through the city in protest, many carrying posters declaring “Je suis biker” or “Je suis motard”. They claimed that they can cover more distance in less time than fourwheeled vehicles and can help to reduce traffic congestion.

Pre-1997 cars are thought to account for 10 percent of all vehicles in Paris, but generate as much as half the city’s pollution.

But classic cars – such as vintage Citroëns – are not exempt, but that may change as an exception was discussed last year. Paris has already outlawed diesel in trucks and larger vehicles.

It is not the first time the city has gone to extreme lengths to cut pollution, which is some of the worst in Europe. Previously, it cut half the cars on the road for temporary periods by banning even-numbered licence plates.

Although public transport was made free to take the sting out of the restrictions, drivers in the capital protested against the measures. – Daily Mail