Alternate traffic measure could be imposed in Paris to reduce pollution

Authorities in Paris are considering whether to bring back a scheme which would consist of cars driving on alternate days in order to reduce pollution.

Traffic restrictions could be imposed in Paris to reduce pollution. KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP

From Monday, cars with odd or even number plates could take turns to drive on roads in the Paris region.

On Friday evening, the police prefecture initiated a number of measures to reduce the pollution level caused by rise in particulate matter over the past few days in the French capital region.

Though Airparif, an organisation that monitors the air quality in Paris and the Ile de France region, said the situation was expected to improve slightly on Saturday, it expected the pollution level to rise early next week.

Additionally, for the fourth day in a row yesterday, motorists were asked to reduce speed by 20 kilometer per hour from 5:30 am to midnight on all sections of highways in Ile-de-France.

The prefecture also said that vehicles exceeding 3.5 tons in transit were obliged to bypass Paris by the ring road, industries have been told to reduce their emissions, while heating by burning wood has been prohibited. 

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said the alternate traffic arrangement must be implemented as soon as possible. 

Hidalgo had announced during a conference of the C40 network that Paris would ban diesel engines by 2025 to improve air quality. 

Valérie Pécresse, who is the president of the regional council of Ile de France, has also expressed support for the alternate traffic scheme.