Car bans and €16m of free travel - the cost of smog in Paris

Authorities in Paris have this week reportedly spent €16m on making all public transport free whilst motorists have been banned from driving on alternate days in response to severe winter pollution.

The Local in Paris said that introducing free public transport since Tuesday had cost €4m a day in lost revenue and additional services and that it was expected to continue tomorrow. For more than a week, PM10 readings have been over 80 microgrammes per cubic metre of air particles, it said.

Meanwhile, motorists are banned from driving depending on what number plate they have, with The Independent reporting that 170,000 were fined €35 on Tuesday alone - in advance of more sophisticated restrictions based on how polluting vehicles are.