The political announcement that Paris would ban all diesel powered vehicles from its city centre by 2020 has raised significant concerns amongst coach operators. IRU, in coordination with its French members FNTV and AFTRI and thirteen other European coach transport federations, has sent an urgent request for a meeting with Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, in order to address the problems such a ban would create.
IRU highlighted the major economic contribution that tourism by coach can make to tourist destinations. With tourism by coach generating more than 1.5 billion euro of income for local businesses, restriction on coaches entering Paris, will harm the tourism industry in the city.
IRU suggested to allow the least polluting coaches to still enter the city after 2020, aimed at ensuring that coach tourism, which remains the greenest, safest and most inclusive transport alternative available can continue to contribute to the Paris tourist economy.