Paris in Selle, an association promoting cycling in Paris, has released its mid-term ranking of the bike policies of the mayors of the different districts of the capital. According to the association, the mayors of the 12th, 14th, and 9th districts have performed well, while the mayors of the 17th, 19th, and 16th will need to catch up.
The ranking takes into account the progress of the Bike Plan, the removal of surface parking for cars, the creation of parking spaces for bicycles, and the implementation of two-way cycling on 30 km/h streets. The association surveyed cyclists in Paris to gather their opinions.
The top three positions in the ranking are occupied by Emmanuelle Pierre-Marie, mayor of the 12th district and member of the Green Party; Carine Petit, mayor of the 14th district and also a member of the Green Party; and Delphine Bürkli, mayor of the 9th district and a member of the Horizons Party.
Emmanuelle Pierre-Marie, known for regularly cycling around Paris, was recently attacked by a motorcyclist during a bike ride. She has placed cycling at the center of “Embellir Votre Quartier” consultations, resulting in the creation of the Charenton bicycle street, a comprehensive redesign of traffic plans, and the creation of bike lanes on secondary routes of the Bike Plan. Respondents to the survey also rated the 12th district as one of the top three in terms of cycling infrastructure.
On the other end of the ranking, the two lowest positions are occupied by Francis Szpiner, mayor of the 16th district from the Republican Party, and Geoffroy Boulard, mayor of the 17th district, who is in 15th place out of 17 districts. The mayors are criticized for the lack of progress in terms of cycling infrastructure.
Surprisingly, François Dagnaud, mayor of the 19th district and a member of the majority party, also received poor ratings from Paris in Selle. The association claims that there have been hardly any improvements in the district in the past three years. However, Dagnaud argues that the ranking does not take into account the starting point and promises that the 19th district will be in the top three by the end of the term.
In conclusion, Paris in Selle urges all mayors to make use of the remaining three years of their terms to accelerate progress in cycling infrastructure.
