The Paris police chief is proud to show his new copy, this Friday, March 1, during a press briefing on the security perimeters that will be set up around the competition sites for the Olympic Games. After interacting with local authorities and professionals, Laurent Nuñez unveiled the new rules for exclusion zones. While the first version, presented in November 2023, had received a lot of criticism from Ile-de-France residents, the authorities decided to show flexibility. Amendments were thus made both to the contours of certain exclusion zones and to the conditions of their access, report our colleagues from World.
There are always three colors to define prohibitions and limitations on circulation and movement. No change either for the gray zones where competition venues are located, access to which is reserved for athletes and ticketed spectators.
The lines are moving in the red zone: here, cyclists and pedestrians will be allowed to circulate and, from now on, motorized vehicles will also be able to if they show a pass. The circulation of tourist coaches and buses will be prohibited there. What about public transport buses? Exemptions are being studied if there are no other solutions. Laurent Nuñez stressed that in the event of an emergency (care, repairs, etc.), a certificate will not be required. Furthermore, residents of red zones will be able to reach their homes by car or two-wheeler, provided they have parking or a place on the public road.
Furthermore, the list of categories of workers is expanding in the reserved areas. In addition to the care professions, there are repair companies, cash transport and even moving companies. For driving schools, whose premises are located in prohibited streets, they will be able to access and exit them, but a certificate will be requested for these movements. Finally, the blue zones are also gaining flexibility: the movement of local residents will be authorized but “no transit crossing will be possible, except for exemption”, continues The world.
Platform open in spring
The digital platform intended to issue passes to travel on an exceptional basis in areas where traffic will be prohibited during the Paris Olympics will be operational in the spring, announced the Paris police prefect. He specified that his services were “targeting the month of April” to open this platform. It will allow applicants for exemptions to obtain authorization to travel within a red zone on the condition of providing the necessary supporting documents.
Noting that the exemptions were broad, Laurent Nunez argued that by deciding on them, he was “taking his risk”. “But,” he warned, “if I see that the exemptions cause traffic jams and prevent traffic, I will close the valves […]. We must be collectively disciplined, otherwise it will not work,” insisted the prefect.
Laurent Nuñez, who was surrounded by the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and the president of Cojo Tony Estanguet, will provide a new progress update in March devoted to securing the opening ceremony of the Games.