Road wars: Cycling in Paris

On 15 Oct 2024, a 27-year-old cyclist was killed in a bike lane in Paris. His name was Paul Varry. He was run over by a car after an argument with a driver. What happened to Paul was extreme, but it resonated with many Parisians. For Paris is undergoing a cycling revolution. The city has created a vast network of bike lanes, introduced new restrictions for cars. The number of cyclists has soared. But there have also been conflicts, as cars, bikes and pedestrians try to navigate the new balance of power. So is Paris’s plan working? Is this transformation the future for other major cities? Anna Holligan goes to Paris for Assignment, to find out.

Presenter: Anna Holligan
Producer: Alex Last
Paris producer/translator: Léontine Gallois
Sound mix: Neil Churchill
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: A man rides a bicycle near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Credit: Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)