The daily mobility of residents and retailers during the pandemic in a pedestrianising Paris

Abstract

This study examines pedestrianisation in the context of the dilemma between urban transport planning and everyday urban mobility in Paris. The literature on pedestrianisation warns of the potential for uneven development and gentrification effects of pedestrianisation policies. This study is based on an online survey of Île-de-France residents (119 in total) and a corresponding survey of shopkeepers in three local shopping districts in Paris (121 in total) from February to June 2021. Additional follow-up informal interviews with English-speaking shopkeepers (about 8 out of the total of 121) about mobility and pedestrianisation practices in Paris helped to provide more in-depth insights. The results showed that Parisian residents and shopkeepers continued to be mobile in the city, using different modes of transport, even under pandemic conditions. In addition, Parisian shopping streets performed well in terms of business continuity. However, some shopkeepers opposed the city’s pedestrianisation policy for mobility, economic, and political reasons. In order to alleviate these problems, which could exacerbate urban inequalities, this paper suggests that local perspectives on the use of urban space and pedestrianisation should be taken into account in order to achieve more equitable forms of urban mobility in the crisis-ridden cities of the contemporary world.