This Wednesday, November 13, 2024, Julie FRÊCHE and Sébastien COTE presented the “Guide to sharing the street”, an educational tool created to help adopt good reflexes and good practices, and to better understand the rules for better sharing of public space.
“Moving is becoming, in Montpellier as everywhere else, an increasingly important issue. A daily issue, an issue of air quality, public health, climate change, preservation of the environment, security , quality of life and purchasing power.
Since 2020, we have invested massively in mobility and accompanied the change in habits with exceptional measures. What we have undertaken is both gigantic, in terms of the scale of the funding, and very intimate, in the daily lives of residents.
The all-car era is gradually giving way to that of active and sustainable mobility, which is less polluting. The latter are able to develop thanks to an ambitious program of public facilities: streets for schoolchildren, pedestrian areas, secure cycling facilities, a ring around the city center and a network of cycle lines which connect the entire territory, speed limit of 30 km /h, renovation of old rails, construction of Line 5 of the tramway and extension of Line 1 to Montpellier Sud de France station, creation of a new busram offer.
At the same time, we have encouraged new uses with free public transport on weekends, then for those under 18 and over 65 and finally for all residents of the metropolis since December 21, 2023. We We supported 10% of the population to equip themselves with an electric bike. We also secured them with the creation of the metropolitan transport police.
This evolution of practices, a real paradigm shift for urban travel, requires a transition period. It calls for an effort of adaptation for users, a change in our habits. As well as better regulation of public space, where many different modes of transport now coexist: on foot, by bike, by scooter, by scooter or motorbike, by car, by public transport, etc. Limiting conflicts of use first goes through the general principle of prudence. Then by prioritizing travel modes favoring the most vulnerable users and collective modes: pedestrians, cycles, public transport, automobiles.
This priority given to active mobility will make the street, once again, a pleasant and safe place for all generations. For this, respecting the rules is fundamental. We have therefore created a “Guide to sharing the street”, an educational tool to adopt good reflexes and good practices, and to better understand the rules for better sharing of public space, more courteous and more peaceful. In circulation, the law of the strongest is never the best and safety always has priority.” underline Michaël Delafosse & Julie Frêche.
