The Ministry of Transport announced on Monday the launch of a mission against violence on the roads, a few days after the death of a cyclist in Paris, killed by a motorist who is suspected of having deliberately run over him.
Titled “against violence, protect all road users”this mission will be entrusted to “a qualified personality as close as possible to the challenges of mobility development”indicated the ministry in a press release, following a meeting with cyclist associations.
Once the appointment has been made, the mission will last four months.
Elle “will be intended, beyond accident assessments and factors, to highlight the feeling of insecurity of cyclists and other road users and to characterize violent behavior on the road”specifies the ministry which will use “any statistic useful for highlighting the feeling of insecurity”.
The mission will notably have to make proposals regarding road education, the continuous improvement of facilities, and the detection, reporting and judicial response to violent behavior on the road.
“My objective is clear: not to oppose modes of transport, but to think about a harmonious sharing of urban space and thus guarantee better use of our roads for all users, whether they are by car, by bike or on foot. foot “underlined the Minister of Transport François Durovray.
Borne bike map
“Society as a whole must open its eyes to this violence and it must be considered”reacted at the end of the meeting Alexis Frémeaux, co-president of the French Federation of Bicycle Users (FUB), on RTL.
“We do not accept violence in the street, we do not accept violence on public transport, and we accept it on the roads”regretted Mr. Frémeaux.
It is necessary that “Cyclists, motorists and pedestrians are finally able to live in a community that perceives itself as being the same. There are more and more cyclists, it’s a reality. All motorists must accept it”he stressed.
Olivier Schneider, co-president of the FUB, told AFP that the association maintained “pressure” pour “restore the +cycling fund+ of 1.25 billion euros over 5 years, which was announced in May 2023 by Elisabeth Borne and was then frozen in spring 2024”.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented an ambitious cycling plan which provided for 2 billion euros of investment until 2027 to improve infrastructure and encourage cycling. The majority of planned investments were to focus on the development of secure infrastructure and cycle routes, to the tune of 1.25 billion euros.
Paul Varry, 27, died on the public highway on Tuesday, run over by a motorist with whom he had just had a dispute, on Boulevard Malesherbes, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The driver was indicted for murder and imprisoned.
Thousands of cyclists gathered across France on Saturday to demand a stop to “motorized violence” and demand measures to pacify cohabitation in the streets between cyclists, motorists and pedestrians.
