Starting as soon as this summer, cars registered before December 31, 1996, trucks from before September 30, 1997, and commercial vehicles and buses prior to September 30, 2001, could be banned from the city center, according to Autocar. These prohibitions are just the beginning of the possible changes. By 2020, the Parisian government reportedly wants to roll things forward to keep vehicles from before 2011 off the road.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo supports the idea. She previously pushed to have the maximum speed limit through the city be about 19 miles per hour.
This potential old car ban in Paris comes at the same time as a diesel backlash by France's government. The prime minister believes backing the fuel is a mistake, and the country is offering 10,000 euros ($11,300) to anyone who trades is an oil-burner over 10 years old on an electric car. According to Autocar, the tax on diesel is also going up.
Bans on old vehicles have been proposed in Paris in the past. A prohibition against SUVs and aging diesel-fueled vehicles was suggested in 2010. Also, a previous mayor of Paris supported a rule in 2012 that would have kept vehicles 17 or more years old out of the city center. Maybe this time things will actually move forward.
