Paris cuts cars by 50% after pollution emergency

The number of cars permitted on the streets of Paris will be reduced by half as of Monday in an effort to combat a “pollution emergency”, according to an announcement from the mayor.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo revealed the plan for cars with plates ending in odd numbers, hybrid or electric vehicles, cars with more than three passengers, and public transportation would be the only ways to move around in Paris.

The city’s electric vehicle and bicycle sharing programmes will be free of charge while the restrictions are in place.

After a pollution spike on Wednesday, Paris saw its air quality briefly become the worst in the world surpassing even China and India’s heavily-polluted cities, according to research by Plume Labs.

Plume Labs categorised air pollution levels in Paris as near “critical” on Wednesday and again on Saturday.

A similar pollution emergency in March 2014 caused the government to make all public transportation free in the French capital.

The Eiffel Tower, where engineers recently installed vertical axis wind turbines to power the commercial areas of its first floor, was not visible to many in the city last week.

Paris is also looking to implement a long term ban on the most polluting vehicles.

A spokesperson for the city’s transport commissioner, said: “We’re already investing heavily in improving public transport and the most polluting cars [diesel cars made before 2001] will be banned starting in July.”

Hidalgo stated: “I am delighted the state has agreed to put in place a partial driving ban on Monday, which I have been requesting for several days.”

In December, Paris will host the crucial UN climate change conference, which many hope will see agreement reached on a far reaching and historic global climate deal.