Information has just fallen, the government will introduce new regulations on access of polluting vehicles in large urban areas, from 2012. Who is concerned? Which cities are selected? We give you all the answers to these questions.
Within the framework of the Grenelle 2 law, Priority Action Zones for Air (ZAPA) will experiment with new practices aimed at prohibiting their access to polluting vehicles. The goal is to improve air quality .
But, while the information has not been relayed much in the media, what does this mean for French people living in large cities?
The 8 cities concerned are Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice, Aix-en-Provence, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand and Saint-Denis. Why these eight cities and not the others? According to a European directive, they do not respect air quality standards.
Thus, nearly 10 million vehicles would be affected by this new regulation. This is valid for cars as well as two-wheelers or heavy goods vehicles. In total, it is estimated that 20% the percentage of vehicles considered polluting in the French car fleet.
A nomenclature classifying vehicles into 4 categories will be presented in order to define which vehicles belong to the most polluting class.
The ban could relate to a precise perimeter (district or district) or to the entire agglomeration. One or more categories of vehicles would then be concerned, the choice being left to the city in question.
Is this a warning or is the measure really applicable? Eight European countries have already implemented such a measure, notably in Great Britain and Sweden, the results prove that the level of emissions has considerably decreased. Obviously, the pollution still exists but it is clear that the air quality is better.
With 20% of the car fleet affected by this new regulation, it seems clear that we must react. The problem is financial. How to replace a polluting vehicle with an electric or low-emission car without breaking the bank?
This policy of improving air quality therefore seems interesting on paper but complicated to respect for all city dwellers who drive.
How will the checks be carried out? Via surveillance cameras like in London, or rather by visual control of the police like in Germany?
We, on our side, decided to give up the idea of using our car in town because in addition to the many constraints, it is an excellent way to save money on a daily basis!
No more refueling at exorbitant prices, wasted time due to heavy traffic and harmful pollution for the environment. We realized that it was both more economical for us and better for the environment to make our short journeys on foot or by bike, and to take public transport when the distance becomes greater.
We can assure you, the calculation is quickly done! Between carpooling, short-term rental and other means of transport, there are alternatives today and are actually more economical than daily use of your car.
