Parisians are to receive a rare treat over the next three days- local authorities have agreed to make public transportation free in order to reduce the unusually high amounts of smog in the city.
A combination of warm weather, cold nights and lack of wind has caused a lingering fog to settle over the city, the BBC reported. Air quality in the area is reported to be one of the worst ever recorded, according to local environmental authorities.
Experts also say the smog this week is as bad as smog levels seen in Beijing, China. Even the iconic Eiffel Tower can hardly be seen through the fog cloud, making the air quality "an emergency and priority for the government," Environment Minister Philippe Martin said according to the BBC.
"Considering the important risks for the inhabitants, I have decided, along with the government, to make all regional public transportations free during the pollution peak," Head of Paris' Transport Authority Jean-Paul Huchon said according to euronews.com.
The free transportation will begin on Friday and end on Sunday. Parisians are encouraged to use environmentally friendly public transportation and leave their cars at home. Public bikes will also be free.
"I am asking all residents in Paris and neighboring areas to favor the use of public transport," Huchon said according to the BBC.
Those with asthma and heart problems have been advised to avoid going outside, as well as children and the elderly, Huchon said.
Other regions and cities have also implemented a temporary suspension of transportation fares. The French cities of Reims, Caen and Rouen, have made public transportation free for the next three days. Belgium, which shares a boarder with France, has suspended fares for buses and trains in the southern region of Wallonia until the air quality improves, the BBC reported.
