Offenders will be liable to a “theoretically class 4” fine, i.e. a maximum of 750 euros, said the Minister for Ecological Transition.
Government plans for future low-emission zones are becoming clearer. The first ministerial committee for monitoring low-emission zones (ZFE) announced on Tuesday the establishment of a system of “automated sanction control» against excessively polluting vehicles banned in the cities concerned by the system by the second half of 2024.
ZF already concern 11 French cities and must include 43 of at least 150,000 inhabitants by 2025. They aim to gradually ban the most polluting vehicles. So far, no sanctions have been put in place. Local authorities have the choice of the perimeter and possible derogations but must respect a progressive timetable for banning traffic if the air quality standards set at the European level are exceeded. From January 1, 2023, Crit'Air's 5 vehicles (diesel vehicles produced before 2001) will be concerned. On January 1, 2024, it will be the turn of the Crit'Air 4 (diesel before 2006) then the Crit'Air 3 (diesel before 2011 and petrol before 2006) on January 1, 2025.
Will there be gates or cameras to carry out these automated checks? The Minister of Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu assures that the “technical characteristics of the selected projects will be presented when they are known“. Violators will face a fine. theoretically class 4“, or 750 euros maximum, he specified. “EPZs are a necessity for ecological and public health reasons“, insisted the Minister Delegate for Transport Clément Beaune. “Every effort must be made to ensure that automated sanction control is developed as quickly as possible“, he added.
To enable households to adapt, the government provides aid for the greening of vehicles. As announced by Emmanuel Macron at the Paris Motor Show, the ecological bonus for the purchase of an electric vehicle will be increased from 6,000 to 7,000 euros for half of the poorest French people. The conversion bonus, which can go up to 5000 euros, will be increased by 1000 euros for the inhabitants of ZF. Finally, the development of the zero-rate loan of up to 30,000 euros for the purchase of a new vehicle or leasing at 100 euros per month for an electric car from 2024, is also part of the aid put on the table. . “Taken end to end, all of these systems represent an incomparable effort in Europe“, insisted Clément Beaune. “1.2 billion will be devoted to the greening of vehicles in 2023“, he specified.
