June 30, 2021 - The new cycling craze that’s hit Paris, France has seen and increase of almost 70% Since last spring with some 50km of protected bike lanes added in the past few months alone reports France Today.
A major change in urban policy for the city of 2.148 million people is due to Anne Hidalgo, elected Mayor of Paris in 2014, who wants to transform the city into a world cycling capital, with an investment of more than €150 million and the aim of doubling the number of bike lanes.
It’s estimated that up to 15 per cent of all trips in the capital are now made by bicycle and Vélib’ Métropole, the public bike share system broke all previous records with some 209,000 rides in one day along with topping 400,000 subscribers.
“Cycling has become an essential part of life in Paris, especially in recent years, thanks to the commitment of the mayor,” says Corinne Menegaux, who is the director of the Paris office of tourism. “We already had more than 1,000km of cycling infrastructure, and much more has been rolled out since the health crisis, to enable Parisians and visitors to get around the streets of the capital safely.”
Read the full article in France Today here.
More on Paris a Cycling City on the Move here