ZFEs currently concern 11 French cities and should include 43 by 2025.
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Will car pollution in cities decrease? The first ministerial monitoring committee for low-emission zones (ZFE) announced on Tuesday 25 October the establishment of a “automated sanction control” against polluting vehicles by the second half of 2024. This regulation targets vehicles prohibited in the cities concerned by the system.
ZFEs already concern 11 French cities and must include 43 of at least 150,000 inhabitants by 2025. Objective of the system: 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 European level are exceeded.
From January 1, 2023, Crit’Air 5 vehicles (diesel vehicles produced before 2001) will be affected. 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 said.
“EPZs are a necessity for ecological and public health reasons”insisted the Minister Delegate for Transport, Clément Beaune. “We must do our utmost to ensure that automated penalty control is developed as quickly as possible”he added..