City of Lille bans cyclists from riding in downtown core
New rule also includes skateboarders and scooters
On Wednesday, the City of Lille issued an order instructing cyclists, scooter riders, and skateboarders to dismount when on the pedestrian streets of the city centre, according to Le Figaro. The new rule applies to major commercial pedestrian areas, including the Grand Place, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the week. It is also enforced on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in several pedestrianized streets of Old Lille. However, municipal police on bikes, postal parcel carriers, and children under the age of eight are exempt from this requirement.
Pierre Posmyk, who is the head of active mobility at the town hall, expressed concerns about the excessive presence of bicycles in these streets, emphasizing that the order applies to only a limited number of streets. “We really had too much influx of bicycles in these streets,” he said.
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Jacques Richir, the deputy in charge of public space, went even further with his comments. “For months and months, we had been receiving complaints. People who said, ‘I’m scared’; others who said ‘I got pushed around by a bike,'” he said.“This measure has been taken, which is a balancing measure. We’re not at all opposed to bikes. We’re also doing a lot of things to develop cycling in the city.”
Initially, police will focus on preventive measures to ensure compliance with the municipal order. Sanctions will be imposed once warning measures are put in place in the designated areas. Offenders can expect fines ranging from 35 euro to 135 euro, according to Posmyk.
