Île-de-France Enacts Traffic Restrictions Amidst Ozone Pollution Spike
Île-de-France implements traffic restrictions and bans outdoor burning due to high ozone pollution amid a heatwave.
Key Points
- • Speed limit reduced by 20 km/h across Île-de-France due to ozone pollution.
- • New limits set at 110 km/h for highways, 90 km/h for certain roads, and 70 km/h for lower-limit roads.
- • Ban on outdoor burning of green waste and postponement of maintenance work to reduce emissions.
- • Ozone levels in forecast expected to exceed 180 μg/m³ threshold.
On June 30, 2025, authorities in Île-de-France implemented significant traffic restrictions as a direct response to soaring levels of ozone pollution exacerbated by a persistent heatwave. The measures include reducing the speed limit by 20 km/h across various roads within the A86 perimeter, effective from 5:30 AM to midnight. This decision follows a deterioration in air quality, which is expected to see ozone levels rising between 180 and 210 μg/m³—above the recommended threshold of 180 μg/m³.
The new speed limits are set at 110 km/h on highways that normally allow 130 km/h, 90 km/h on roads typically capped at 110 km/h, and 70 km/h where the limit is usually 90 km/h. Additionally, vehicles weighing over 3.5 tons are prohibited from using the Paris ring road. Authorities urged the public to lessen car travel and consider telecommuting and carpooling as environmentally friendly alternatives.
In tandem with traffic restrictions, the police prefect of Paris, Laurent Nunez, announced that outdoor burning of green waste would be banned, and all maintenance work that could contribute to emissions would be postponed. These measures aim to mitigate the dangerous air conditions exacerbated by the ongoing heatwave, as detailed by forecasts from Airparif, which have indicated these extreme ozone levels for the region.
As the heatwave continues to affect Île-de-France, this latest round of restrictions marks a proactive approach by local authorities to safeguard public health amidst rising pollution levels, following closely on the heels of earlier measures prompted by similar pollution events just a week prior.