From 1 September, motorbike parking in Paris will become paid

The measure also affects motorized scooters, however electric two-wheelers will still park for free

The municipal website of Paris has announced that the City will continue with the next step of its grand parking reform by introducing paid parking for all motorized two-wheelers with combustion engines from 1 September. The measure will thus not apply to electric-powered two-wheel devices in a bid to increase their popularity on the streets of the French capital.

The change in local legislation actually comes several months behind schedule, as it was initially meant to become reality by the end of 2021. Currently, owners of fuel-powered motorcycles (or as the French call them motos thermiques) and scooters do not pay to park their vehicles on the parking slots.

The stick and the carrot to favour soft mobility in Paris

The local administration is understandably trying to declutter the limited public spaces of the city, especially after the surging popularity of e-scooters and bikes in recent years. But the idea here is to also encourage people to switch to more sustainable modes of transportation.

Owners of electric two-wheelers, also known as “low-emission 2WD vehicles”, will however be exempt from paying, because their vehicles do not emit CO2 into the atmosphere. Electric scooters and motorcycles will therefore be able to continue to park for free in Paris but under certain conditions.

Citizens owning e-scooters will have to register them at the town hall, in order to get a permit for free parking, either as a resident or as a professional (one vehicle per person). Residents will be able to park for free near their homes, however, when parking elsewhere in the city they can do so free of charge only until 8 pm in the evening. Visitors from out of town, riding on e-scooters can also park for free until 8 pm.

As for the payment rates for those who will continue using motorized two-wheelers, these will vary widely depending on the area of parking in the city and the time duration of the parking. For better options, it is recommended that these motorcyclists opt for a subscription plan if they use their vehicles regularly.

Meanwhile, last week the French government initiated an aid scheme where residents can get up to 4,000 euros if they exchange their polluting vehicle for an electric bike. The French are eager to turn into the fastest adopters of soft mobility in Europe.