Paris will restrict cars from swathes of the city centre from Monday in the Socialist mayor’s latest attempt to steer traffic away from the French capital.

Anne Hidalgo, the mayor who has prided herself on implementing anti-car measures, on Thursday published a decree imposing a limited traffic zone in the capital’s centre.

The scheme, following in the footsteps of other major European cities, will see many motor vehicles banned from using a 5 sq km area, covering the first four arrondissements and home to around 100,000 people.

Access to the city centre will largely be restricted to emergency vehicles, buses, taxis, those with reduced mobility, motorists living or working there, and so-called “destination traffic”.

“Destination traffic” includes those visiting the area for a specific reason, such as for a medical appointment, shopping, deliveries, dining, drinking, as well as visiting museums and cinemas.

Once a grace period has passed, authorities are considering enforcing the ban via a Covid-style system of proof-of-residence and online declarations, both of which were used to stem the spread of the virus during France’s various lockdowns.