From the second half of February 2025, Parma has introduced a new 30 km/h zone in the areas of Via Parigi and Via Quarta. This intervention is part of a broader project to reduce the speed limit on all roads within the ring roads, aimed at improving road safety and promoting pedestrian and bicycle mobility.
This new zone is added to those already existing in the city, for example in the Montanara, San Leonardo, Lubiana and Cittadella districts. The extension of the 30 km/h zones is an integral part of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (PUMS) of the Municipality of Parma, which aims to reduce the use of private cars by encouraging more sustainable forms of mobility to make the city more liveable and safe.
This ambitious goal is part of the commitment that Parma shares with 100 other European cities, including Bologna, to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.
Another virtuous example of sustainable mobility in the Emilia Romagna region is Bologna, which has extended the 30 km/h limit to most of the city. After one year, the results were significant: nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions decreased by 29% compared to the 2022-2023 average, thanks to the 5% reduction in private traffic and the increase in the use of alternative means of transport such as bikes and car sharing. Furthermore, in 2024 the overall number of road accidents decreased by 13% compared to the average of the previous two years, with a 31% reduction in serious accidents and a 49% reduction in victims. For the first time in over 30 years, there were no pedestrians killed in road accidents in the city in 2024.
Other European cities have also successfully implemented 30 km/h zones. For example, Graz, Austria, was one of the first cities to introduce this limit, achieving a significant reduction in emissions and an increase in road safety. Barcelona has followed a similar approach, creating blocks where pedestrians and cyclists have priority, thus improving livability and reducing pollution.
Just look at these encouraging results to understand how 30 km/h zones represent an important step towards more sustainable mobility. Parma's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality in 2023 together with 100 other European cities is demonstrating how these initiatives can contribute to creating more liveable and environmentally friendly cities.
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