Cut off by two motorways, the town of La Courneuve in Saint-Saint-Denis has issued an urgent appeal to lower speeds on the A1 and A86 in order to reduce air pollution and its harmful effects on public health.

A huge banner raised above the A86 proclaims: “For our health, A1 and A86 at 70 km/h”. This initiative received wide publicity and sparked a lively debate on the important issues of pollution and air quality in cities.

Reduce speed to limit pollution

Currently, the maximum speed allowed on these two sections of the open-air motorway, a total length of seven kilometers that crosses La Courneuve, is 90 km/h. however, the city is asking to significantly reduce this limit to 70 km/h limit polluting emissions and reduce noise pollution affecting residents.

The mayor of La Courneuve, Gilles Pou, a member of the French Communist Party (CPF), emphasized the importance of this approach for public health and stated: “Historically, the working class, the suburbs, have always been mistreated in development projects. We were always the last wheel on the wagon, the one that didn’t count. » He also mentioned the recent 30 km/h speed limit in Paris, suggesting that similar measures should be considered in the suburbs.

Smart topic?

According to the municipality’s estimates, almost 400,000 vehicles use these thoroughfares every day, creating significant air and noise pollution that negatively affects the quality of life of the residents of La Courneuve. The city’s initiative aims to initiate a public discussion of the problem of pollution in the densely populated areas of Seine-Saint-Denis and begin to consider long-term solutions.

Gilles Pou explained that more and more residents of La Courneuve are complaining of health problems, such as asthma and chronic allergies, which are exacerbated by polluted air. To give more weight to their request, the city has launched an online petition and plans to contact state and community agencies by mail.

According to the Institute of the Paris Region, 65% of the population of La Courneuve lives in an area classified as “Ecological black spot”, where at least three types of pollution and nuisance accumulate, compared to an average of 13% for Ile-de-France. These statistics highlight the urgency of the situation and the need to act quickly to protect the health of residents.

Despite the fact that the issue of car pollution and its impact on health in cities is attracting more and more attention in the public debate, speed limits remain a politically sensitive topic due to their direct impact on the daily life of motorists.

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