The new Plan Velo 2021-2026 is set to capitalize on the COVID-19 pandemic cycling boom that has seen a seismic shift towards active mobility by Parisians. The increased funding will be channelled along several different lines with the common objective of reducing motorised traffic in the city and encouraging cycling, walking and public transport as the new normal.

Local cycling NGO and member of FUB (Federacion francaise des usagers de la bicylette) Paris en Selle explains that “one of the main objectives of the Plan Vélo is to complete the Parisian primary cycling network by the end of the mandate [of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo] in 2026. This ambitious objective is in line with our demands and, if attained, would make Paris a city where everyone, including children, will be able to cycle safely during their daily commute.”

Paris Deputy Mayor David Belliard, in charge of the transformation of public space and transport, announced that the main component of the plan would be 180km of new segregated two-way cycle lanes are due to be constructed, 50km of which are “coronapistes” (temporary pandemic-related infrastructure) that will become permanent features of the cycle lane network.

Segregated infrastructure is the most effective way of reducing new bicycle user hesitancy and is considered the gold standard when it comes to safer everyday cycling. During the previous election cycle, pro-cycling politicians advocated for a cycling equivalent of the metro system through the construction of a Vélopolitain network made up of so-called surface lines specifically for cycling.

The new Parisian Vélopolitain network will integrate the RER-Vélo network of the Île-de-France Region with the wider network of Greater Paris whilst ensuring continuity of routes between Parisian cycle lanes and those of neighbouring municipalities. The proposal calls for “no more dotted tracks, impassable bridges and crossroads where cyclists are sent back into general traffic. The network must be continuous, comfortable and secure with interconnected and priority routes to allow cyclists of all ages and levels to make cycling their daily mode of travel.”

The project as a whole will be conducted with a concerted approach, utilising broad consultations with the police, the RATP and Île-de-France Mobilités public transport companies, the Parisian cycling associations and tradespeople associations.

Not just bike lanes.

A second critical element of the proposal is aimed at tackling the number one reason first-time cyclists give up their new habit: bicycle theft. 120,000 new secure bicycle parking spots will be provided across the city through a combination of public and private partnerships, 40,000 of which are destined to ensure seamless intermodality at public transport hubs such as rail stations. Crucially for apartment-dwelling Parisians, secure public bicycle sheds will also be installed on residential streets. Interestingly, at least 1,000 of all new secure parking spots will be specifically designed for cargo bikes, an increasingly popular alternative to urban car ownership.

The increase in active mobility, including e-scooters, hasn’t always been smooth. Where infrastructure is lacking – and where motor vehicle traffic is simply too dangerous to share space with – there is often competition for public space with pedestrians. The new plan acknowledges that more must be done to define clearer separation between different transport modes and to enable that rules can be enforced. A new street code will be developed and shared for all street users to adhere to and will give priority to active travel modes such as walking and cycling.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who in 2020 won a second term on the back of the proposed Plan Velo, also aims to improve cycling education within Parisian schools. The “Know how to ride a bike” programme is an after-school class to ensure all children learn how to cycle safely and perform basic maintenance from a young age. The programme aims for all elementary school children to have achieved a “Bike Permit” by the time they reach secondary school and therefore be better equipped to travel independently and sustainably within the city.

“Alongside the €250 million budget, timing and scheduling the works will be critical to ensure the success of the Plan Vélo,” Paris en Selle told ECF. “Cycling has experienced an unprecedented boom over the past two years: Paris now needs to go all-in to meet the challenges at hand.”