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From today's Telegraph;
France faces a fresh yellow vest-style motorists’ revolt if it sticks to plans to force drivers off the road if their vehicles fail to meet new “low emission” rules, experts and politicians are warning.
France has already started rolling out its equivalent of the UK's ultra low-emission zones - known as ZEF instead of ULEZ - in 11 towns and cities, including Paris.
The scheme is also due to be massively extended to more than 40 built-up areas with more than 150,000 inhabitants by the end of next year.
With an estimated 40,000 premature deaths from air pollution per year, France is a European laggard and has little choice but to accelerate controls. It was recently found guilty by the Court of Justice of the European Union for “systematically” exceeding its annual limits on nitrogen dioxide emissions. The Conseil d’Etat, France’s top administrative court, has already fined the state €30 million for its failure to respect thresholds in various big cities.
But the scheme has already got motorists and politicians sputtering amid warnings that it could spark a massive public backlash - mainly from poorer motorists unaware of the changes or unable to pay to upgrade or change their vehicles in time. As half of motorists coming into ZFEs live outside the towns, they do not qualify for certain aid or dispensations.
Etienne Chaufour of France Urbaine, an umbrella group representing big French towns and cities, said: “We are realistic and know that a ZEF that is considered unacceptable will either spark a yellow vest-style situation or just won’t work because people will find ways of cheating and getting round the system.”
Philippe Cabanne from protest group “motorcyclists in anger”, said: "This could spark another motorists’ and bikers’ revolt because it will affect a huge number of people."
On Saturday, he helped organise a protest in Agen, southwestern France, where hundreds of bikers vented their anger at seeing their two-wheelers facing the prospect of a ban.
“There is a part of the population that can’t pay for vehicles that fit the air pollution criteria. It’s even more unfair for motorbikes as they get round easily and take far less time to park,” he told The Telegraph.
“We are not against improving air quality but the problem is at present it’s more about punishing than helping. It must be done carefully. Lots of politicians are starting to realise the whole thing has been done too hastily.”
After a test period, Rouen in northern France started this month handing out fines to any vehicles in category 4 or 5. These prompted motorists to block roads. “This rule puts us in another social class. We have become those who can’t afford a new car,” said Rémi, 23, unable to afford a less polluting or electric vehicle.
He and other opponents claim such low-emission zones are being turned into “massive exclusion zones”.
In Lyon, the Green mayor has just delayed introducing a ban on mid-polluting cars by two years due to public outrage over the plans.
However, the Paris area is forging ahead; it handed out more than 1,100 fines last year and is due to clamp down even further in July.
Some politicians have called for the entire system to be reviewed or scrapped. Communist chief Fabien Roussel called it a “social bomb” that would hit 10 million motorists, many of them poor. Despite local and national financial incentives, a recent French parliamentary report on the issue said that individuals and businesses were still facing a “€20,000 shortfall” to buy electric or low-emission vehicles. “We need a moratorium,” he told France Info.
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party even tabled a parliamentary proposal in October to ban the “separatist” zones outright. It was backed by the conservatives, but defeated.
In France, all vehicles – including those registered outside the country – are required to buy a “Crit’Air” sticker before they can be driven in any ZEF. Only vehicles that pass a sufficiently “clean” bill of health can enter such zones and the criteria for what is deemed “clean” will get increasingly strict.
Since January 1, Crit’Air 5 vehicles (diesel vehicles produced before 2001) are banned from all low-emission zones. This will be followed on January 1, 2024 by Crit’Air 4 (diesel before 2006) and on January 1, 2025 by Crit’Air 3 (diesel before 2011 and petrol/diesel before 2006).
Those who fail to comply risk being hit by a fine of up to €135.
The system currently relies on random police controls, but starting in 2025, the state will roll out automated number plate checks. However, unlike London’s Ulez ultra-low emission system, these will rely on a limited number of cameras because French cities, including Paris, have far fewer.
Even so, the predicted surge in fines is causing towns to fret. During the “gilets jaunes” revolt, protesters knocked out 60 per cent of the country’s speed cameras.
The only way was to be flexible in the rollout, and offer “compensatory measures” and a proper “plan B” to cars to enter such areas, said Mr Chaufour of France Urbaine.
“That said,” he added, “you’re never going to please everyone and we have to act. We can’t just let people die of respiratory diseases on the grounds that cars are sacred.”
France faces a fresh yellow vest-style motorists’ revolt if it sticks to plans to force drivers off the road if their vehicles fail to meet new “low emission” rules, experts and politicians are warning.
France has already started rolling out its equivalent of the UK's ultra low-emission zones - known as ZEF instead of ULEZ - in 11 towns and cities, including Paris.
The scheme is also due to be massively extended to more than 40 built-up areas with more than 150,000 inhabitants by the end of next year.
With an estimated 40,000 premature deaths from air pollution per year, France is a European laggard and has little choice but to accelerate controls. It was recently found guilty by the Court of Justice of the European Union for “systematically” exceeding its annual limits on nitrogen dioxide emissions. The Conseil d’Etat, France’s top administrative court, has already fined the state €30 million for its failure to respect thresholds in various big cities.
But the scheme has already got motorists and politicians sputtering amid warnings that it could spark a massive public backlash - mainly from poorer motorists unaware of the changes or unable to pay to upgrade or change their vehicles in time. As half of motorists coming into ZFEs live outside the towns, they do not qualify for certain aid or dispensations.
Etienne Chaufour of France Urbaine, an umbrella group representing big French towns and cities, said: “We are realistic and know that a ZEF that is considered unacceptable will either spark a yellow vest-style situation or just won’t work because people will find ways of cheating and getting round the system.”
Yellow vest protests
Similar complaints were made when the French government introduced a new green tax on diesel and petrol cars in 2018, sparking thousands of motorists to don high-visibility vests and protest at roundabouts and later in city centres.Philippe Cabanne from protest group “motorcyclists in anger”, said: "This could spark another motorists’ and bikers’ revolt because it will affect a huge number of people."
On Saturday, he helped organise a protest in Agen, southwestern France, where hundreds of bikers vented their anger at seeing their two-wheelers facing the prospect of a ban.
“There is a part of the population that can’t pay for vehicles that fit the air pollution criteria. It’s even more unfair for motorbikes as they get round easily and take far less time to park,” he told The Telegraph.
“We are not against improving air quality but the problem is at present it’s more about punishing than helping. It must be done carefully. Lots of politicians are starting to realise the whole thing has been done too hastily.”
After a test period, Rouen in northern France started this month handing out fines to any vehicles in category 4 or 5. These prompted motorists to block roads. “This rule puts us in another social class. We have become those who can’t afford a new car,” said Rémi, 23, unable to afford a less polluting or electric vehicle.
He and other opponents claim such low-emission zones are being turned into “massive exclusion zones”.
In Lyon, the Green mayor has just delayed introducing a ban on mid-polluting cars by two years due to public outrage over the plans.
However, the Paris area is forging ahead; it handed out more than 1,100 fines last year and is due to clamp down even further in July.
Some politicians have called for the entire system to be reviewed or scrapped. Communist chief Fabien Roussel called it a “social bomb” that would hit 10 million motorists, many of them poor. Despite local and national financial incentives, a recent French parliamentary report on the issue said that individuals and businesses were still facing a “€20,000 shortfall” to buy electric or low-emission vehicles. “We need a moratorium,” he told France Info.
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party even tabled a parliamentary proposal in October to ban the “separatist” zones outright. It was backed by the conservatives, but defeated.
In France, all vehicles – including those registered outside the country – are required to buy a “Crit’Air” sticker before they can be driven in any ZEF. Only vehicles that pass a sufficiently “clean” bill of health can enter such zones and the criteria for what is deemed “clean” will get increasingly strict.
Since January 1, Crit’Air 5 vehicles (diesel vehicles produced before 2001) are banned from all low-emission zones. This will be followed on January 1, 2024 by Crit’Air 4 (diesel before 2006) and on January 1, 2025 by Crit’Air 3 (diesel before 2011 and petrol/diesel before 2006).
Those who fail to comply risk being hit by a fine of up to €135.
The system currently relies on random police controls, but starting in 2025, the state will roll out automated number plate checks. However, unlike London’s Ulez ultra-low emission system, these will rely on a limited number of cameras because French cities, including Paris, have far fewer.
Even so, the predicted surge in fines is causing towns to fret. During the “gilets jaunes” revolt, protesters knocked out 60 per cent of the country’s speed cameras.
The only way was to be flexible in the rollout, and offer “compensatory measures” and a proper “plan B” to cars to enter such areas, said Mr Chaufour of France Urbaine.
“That said,” he added, “you’re never going to please everyone and we have to act. We can’t just let people die of respiratory diseases on the grounds that cars are sacred.”
