Paris wants to ban tourist buses from city centre

Authorities in the French capital Paris are seriously considering banning tourist buses from the city centre after complaints about nuisances caused by mass tourism

Paris authorities said this will also spur visitors to walk, cycle or take public transport.

Emmanuel Gregoire, the Deputy Mayor of Paris, told Le Parisien newspaper that the situation in Paris was not as bad as in tourist-swamped Venice or Barcelona but Parisians were concerned about the influx of tourist buses and that they are no longer welcome in the very heart of the city”.

“Tourists can do like everyone else does and switch to environmentally friendly mobility options or take public transport. We need change,” said Gregoire.

Paris is crisscrossed by dozens of hop-on, hop-off double-decker buses that shuttle tourists between the main monuments, as well as international tourist coaches that bring in budget travellers from all over Europe.

Gregoire said the city was awaiting new legislation to reduce bus traffic and would put in place parking spots outside the city so that buses no longer drive into the centre.

France’s new law on mobility will give local authorities more powers to regulate local traffic and new transport options such as rented bicycles and electric scooters.

Via France 24