PARIS
For the first time in two decades, thousands of cars will be banned from driving in Paris on Monday in order to cut the continuous high levels of air pollution, according to government officials.
Only cars with license plates that end in odd numbers are allowed to drive in Parisian roads on Monday and vehicles with even license plate numbers will be the only ones on the roads on Tuesday, if pollution levels remain high after Monday, said officials.
From 5:30 am till midnight, only odd-numbered cars will be allowed to drive in Ile-de-France, unless they have electric or hybrid motors. Taxis, buses, emergency vehicles and cars carrying three people or more are exempted. All trucks are banned.
Nearly 700 police officers will monitor roads and offenders will pay a minimum fine of 22 euros.
The French government's imposition of regulations Saturday night on “alternate” use of cars has not been triggered since 1997.
Pollution levels have reached 180 microgrammes of PM10 particulates per cubic metre, more than double the safe limit of 80. PM10 particulates are emitted by heating systems and heavy industry, as well as by vehicles.
A spokesman for France's transport ministry said: "pollution levels will be monitored throughout the week to see if the driving restrictions will continue."
French cities offered free public transport last weekend after nearly three-quarters of France is put under a maximum pollution alert in what the European Environment Agency says is the worst air pollution since 2007.
Officials took the decision in order to cut the recent high levels of air pollution brought by the recent warm, windless weather.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
