Paris Mayor promises a 'right to beauty' in all neighbourhoods

The mayor plans to improve public spaces by addressing 1,000 problem areas and guaranteeing a “right to beauty” across neighborhoods. Pedestrians will be the “absolute priority,” with additional pedestrian zones, including extra shaded sidewalks on every street where possible. The Seine riverbanks pedestrianization will be accelerated to form a continuous 25-kilometre promenade. Cleanliness and comfort will be pursued through increased attention to pavements, construction sites, and terraces. Safety measures will focus on vehicle-related risks, including creating a police unit to handle violence involving cars toward pedestrians and cyclists. The approach follows recent incidents involving cyclists and vehicles.

"“I am aware of the dissatisfaction of many Parisians regarding the quality of public spaces,” Grégoire said in an interview with Le Figaro. He also declared that pedestrians are the “absolute priority” of his mandate - outlining plans to pedestrianising more public spaces and create a police unit to deal with violence by motorists."

"Grégoire pledged to continue her work by creating an extra 80 pedestrian areas, and to guarantee, “wherever possible, at least one shaded sidewalk on every street.” Meanwhile, the pedestrianisation of the Seine riverbanks will be, “accelerated to create a continuous 25-kilometre promenade.”"

"Asserting a “demand for cleanliness and comfort”, the mayor said the city would pay “increased attention to pavements, construction sites, terraces”. He also said that pedestrian safety was a priority. Although many pedestrians have complained about dangerous behaviour from the increasing number of cyclists in the city, data shows that the main risk to pedestrians still comes from vehicles."

"Grégoire said that he intended to create a police unit to deal with vehicle-related violence, both towards pedestrians and cyclists. The move comes in the wake of the death of cyclist Paul Varry, who died after being run over by a car following an altercation with the driver."

Read at The Local France