What will mobility be in Paris in 2026 and the coming years? In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, Rachida Dati promised a “peaceful” capital and wanted to “protect the pedestrian squares” she said were “so forgotten” during Anne Hidalgo’s mandate.
Evoking “general chaos” on the streets of Paris, with buses that “no longer run” and “elderly people afraid to cross the street”, the Minister of Culture now wants to define a “global mobility plan” and “implement crossings dedicated to pedestrians”.
Accused by her opponents of being a car candidate, Rachida Dati promised to “not reduce cycling places throughout Paris” while stressing that bicycles “should not run on sidewalks or burn traffic lights”.
The device is covered long term
The candidate excludes reopening the riverside lane to cars, but would bring bicycles back to parts of the right bank of the Seine to make low platforms accessible to pedestrians. He also suggested experimenting with the return of Parisian motorists to the rue de Rivoli for “local services”, particularly shops.
The banks of the River Seine will be transformed “into a large urban heritage park, which will integrate relaxation, sports and cultural spaces”. The pier will also be planted with plants, he promised.
The mayor of the 7th arrondissement is also considering partially reinstating the 30 km/h speed limit in central Paris, will install soundproofing on the ring road, which will eventually be closed, and is promising new “affordable” resident fares for motorists in Paris.
Emmanuel Grégoire also supports “peaceful coexistence”
PS candidate Emmanuel Grégoire also defended, in the Ouest-France daily, “peaceful coexistence between pedestrians, cyclists, bus users and motorbike riders”.
He also proposed “big plans” to make travel smoother, and wants to make bus use “attractive again” to “facilitate travel for almost 250,000 Parisians”. Thus, ten express bus lanes will be created on the ten busiest routes in the capital, which will be equipped with higher priority traffic lights.
Paris MPs also want to continue the transformation of the banks of the Seine, with “a large pedestrian and green verge, from the crossing of the Saint-Martin canal to the river, to the Porte de Bercy”, an area currently “filled with huge infrastructure designed for cars”.
According to him, the project aims to connect the west to the east of the capital, “from Porte de Saint-Cloud to Bercy”, on the right bank, but also with development on the left bank for “true pedestrian and cycle continuity”.
