Parisians called to the polls on Sunday. The city of Paris is organizing a second vote, following last year’s ban on free-floating scooters, inviting residents to weigh in on the proposal to triple parking fees for the heaviest and bulkiest vehicles. Who can vote? Where? Which vehicles are affected? France Bleu Paris details the instructions for this vote.
What question is being asked? The question posed to Parisians is: “For or against the creation of a specific rate for the parking of heavy, bulky, polluting individual cars.” The City of Paris proposes to triple the visitor parking rates for the vehicles concerned, which would bring the bill to 18 euros per hour in central districts and 12 euros in the outer districts.
Which vehicles are affected? The Paris City Hall is targeting visitor parking for thermal or hybrid cars weighing more than 1.6 tons and electric cars weighing more than 2 tons. In total, nearly 900,000 vehicles in the Ile-de-France region are potentially affected, according to AAA Data. Slightly more than half of these cars are SUVs, with the rest being sedans or family vehicles like station wagons or vans. However, these figures do not include those who are exempt from the measure: residents who benefit from the resident rate (except when they park outside their neighborhood) or those who have private parking spaces.
Where and when to vote? All Parisians listed on the electoral rolls (1.3 million people) as of January 8, 2024, can vote with proof of identity. The vote will take place from 9am to 7pm at 38 sites in the capital, including town halls and schools. Proxy voting will be impossible “due to the municipal status of the vote,” the city of Paris explains.
Are there any other questions being asked? In six districts (5th, 8th, 10th, 12th, and 20th), the local authorities are taking advantage of this vote to ask a local question to their residents. Two ballot boxes will be present, one for each question. These questions cover various subjects, but mainly focus on the redevelopment of streets or squares, such as the one at the Louvre in Paris Center.
