Another French commune cuts speed limit to 30 km/h

Motorists passing through the northern French commune of Longueau will need to slow down significantly from September 1, as the municipality introduces a 30km/h speed limit throughout the area. 

The new measure was announced by the mairie in a Facebook post, and makes the Somme commune the latest municipality to adopt the 30km/h threshold as a traffic calming measure. 

Introduced following concerns from residents about speeding, the new limit will apply throughout Longueau and signs advertising the speed limit will be installed at the entrances to the commune. 

In their Facebook post, the commune wrote that “at 30km/h, everyone’s safety is a priority.”

It also added that the new move would bring “more safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists,” as well as fewer accidents, less noise and air pollution, and encourage people to use walking and cycling as forms of transport. 

The municipality also plans to increase speed checks and preventative measures during September to help drivers get used to the new limit. According to France 3, enforcement will become stricter from October, with drivers exceeding the limit facing a possible €135 fine.

Other towns in the Somme have already taken similar steps, including Boves and Amiens. In Boves, a permanent municipal order introduced 30km/h throughout the commune's built-up area from October 3, 2024. 

Meanwhile, in Amiens, the city began experimenting with a 30km/h limit in October 2023. A year later, Amiens Métropole said the experiment had “proved its worth” and decided to make the measure permanent.

Annie Verrier, Amiens' deputy mayor for urban development, said the measure had produced “a better quality of life, greater safety and less pollution”.

She also described a “good balance between traffic flow and calmer traffic” and said there had been “very positive feedback from residents”.

A number of French cities have introduced similar measures, although the exact arrangements vary and major roads are often excluded.

Montpellier has had a 30km/h maximum speed in its built-up area since August 2021, apart from some major roads. 

Paris also introduced a 30km/h limit across most of the capital in August 2021, with the périphérique, the Boulevards des Maréchaux and some major routes excluded.

In the Grenoble-Alpes Métropole area, 45 of the 49 communes are covered by the ‘Métropole apaisée’ scheme, under which 30km/h is the rule on most roads. A small number of high-traffic routes remain at 50km/h.

Other cities to have adopted similar policies include Lille, Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse.

You can check if your town or commune has adopted a 30km/h limit by using the map here.