Paris (TAN): France’s capital Paris wants to ban all tourist buses from the city centre, encouraging visitors to walk, cycle, or take public transport, media reports said. The decision was announced after residents complained of mass tourism in the area.
Paris deputy mayor Emmanuel Gregoire reportedly said he wants to do away with “the total anarchy of tourist buses in Paris” before it reaches the levels of Barcelona or Venice.
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“Buses are no longer welcome in the very heart of the city,” media reports quoted him as saying. Instead, he advised tourists to switch to ‘environmentally friendly mobility options’.
The deputy mayor said the initiative was one of the several moves planned to alleviate the bearing overtourism had on Paris.
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The new legislation is expected to apply to both hop-on, hop-off double-decker buses and international tourist coaches. The huge buses drive through the centre of the city to pick up and drop visitors at the city’s chief attractions. Parking options would be available outside the city centre so large coaches have to park further away from the city’s major sites.
Gregoire asked guides to design their tours differently, and include cycling or walking options.
